It is undeniable that the gaming industry has significantly grown over the years. But now? It’s an industry that makes more money than the music and movie industries combined. We know from a report by SuperData Research that the global gaming market was valued at $159.3 billion in 2020, and in 2022, it was worth approximately $347 billion. But, with the rise in its popularity, also came the rise in the problems that existed (and still do exist) within the gaming industry. Some examples of this can be seen through the rise of cyberbullying online, as well as concerns regarding child safety and the protection of minors, or even issues of discrimination and misogyny as highlighted by the Gamergate online harassment campaign in 2014.

Today’s episode of Yours Lawfully will be delving into these matters, with a focus on considering whether the new Online Safety Act has the teeth to address these concerns. With us, we have Isabel Davies, who is a Senior Associate at Wiggin. She specialises in the interactive gaming industry, which includes advising video games, esports and digital broadcast businesses on regulatory, commercial and intellectual property matters. She has written for a number of publications like GI.biz, Legal Futures and Online Gambling Lawyer. She has also spoken at events such as Pocket Gamer Connects, Campaign Gaming Summit and Konsoll Connects and has guest lectured at several UK universities. 

We hope you enjoy listening to our episodes and any comments or questions are welcome!