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Kids aren’t just ‘occasionally’ playing mobile games anymore. We have fresh industry data telling us that most young children, especially the ones under 7, are playing games several times a week, often in short bursts across the day, mainly on tablets and phones.
Parents increasingly see gaming as a normal part of their kids’ screen time and often rely on it during summer months and travel to keep kids engaged. Not only that, 60% of parents themselves also like spending time playing games when on the way to work or reducing stress.
The wider market backs this up. The global games market generated around $189B in 2025, with mobile as a major driver of player time and spend, according to Newzoo’s latest market review. And it’s not just kids driving that growth. Boston Consulting Group’s Video Gaming Report 2026 shows parents are a big part of the picture, with many introducing their children to gaming and playing alongside them. A recent breakdown of that report found 57% of kids are introduced to games by a parent or guardian, which is huge for trust and brand fit.
Meanwhile, social is moving in the opposite direction. Australia’s under-16 social media ban is already in force, and Spain, Greece, France and others are now pushing similar laws or strict age checks for teens, as reported by Reuters and follow-up coverage across Europe. For brands targeting young audiences, it reinforces the importance of reaching them in environments that are already designed to be safe, compliant, and age-appropriate, like mobile games.
So what does all this data actually say to us?
- Under-7s are in mobile games, several times a day.
- Many parents play games with their kids.
- Regulation is squeezing social, not kid-safe gaming.
For brands targeting kids and families, the challenge isn’t interest, it’s reaching these audiences in environments that are safe, compliant, and trusted by parents.
At Kidoz, we read that as a clear brief: if you’re trying to reach young audiences safely and effectively, mobile in-game shouldn’t be an afterthought. Our purpose of existence is to take this data and turn it into privacy-first, contextual mobile in-game campaigns that feel right for parents and work effectively for your brand.
If your brand is already reaching kids and families, the next step is making sure you’re doing it in environments that are both safe and effective. Kidoz can help you turn these insights into a focused mobile in-game strategy, not just a ‘test’ line item in your plan with compliance and high performance. You can reach out to a member of our team HERE.
Aashna Seth
