Study quality further influenced results. Smaller studies and those with a higher risk of bias tended to report higher prevalence rates, suggesting that some commonly cited figures may overestimate the scale of the problem.
“One striking finding was how strongly prevalence estimates depended on the diagnostic instrument and study quality,” Longobardi said. “Studies with higher risk of bias or smaller samples tended to report much higher prevalence, which suggests that some widely cited figures may be overestimates.”
The analysis also found evidence that prevalence among gamer-only samples has increased over time, potentially reflecting changes in game design, such as reward-based mechanics that encourage prolonged play. No significant differences were observed across geographic regions, suggesting that problematic gaming is a global phenomenon. There was, however, a trend indicating lower prevalence in samples with a higher proportion of women.
“Our results suggest that IGD affects a non-negligible proportion of young adults (around 6% overall, and over 8% among gamers) making it more common than many people assume for this age group,” Longobardi explained.
“Gaming itself is not inherently problematic, but for a minority it can become a source of significant impairment. Awareness and early identification are therefore important, especially in educational and clinical settings.”
The authors caution that most of the data comes from self-report surveys rather than clinical diagnoses, and that high variability between studies remains a challenge. They also note signs of publication bias, with studies reporting higher prevalence more likely to be published.
“Our findings should not be read as implying that gaming is broadly harmful, but rather that a specific pattern of dysregulated gaming affects a vulnerable subgroup of young adults,” Longobardi said. “Future work should focus on improving methodological consistency, aligning assessment tools with DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 criteria, and examining IGD in relation to comorbid mental health conditions.”