Almost Half of South African Mobile Gamers still Pay-to-Play

Eighty percent of all smartphone users in South Africa now play games on their mobile device, according to the latest annual consumer survey conducted by MEF, up slightly from the 78% seen in 2023 and 2024. However, while the number of gamers that pay-to-play stood at 47% of the total in 2025 (up from 41% in 2023), there has been a slight downturn from 2024 when a majority of 53% paid for games. According to the World Bank, more than two thirds of South Africans (68%) still live in poverty, with unemployment reaching 33.2% in Q2 2025, and youth unemployment (15–24 years) hardest hit at 62.2%. Not surprising then, that we have seen a reduction in the amounts being spent on gaming too… with those spending more than $20 per month falling from 6% in 2024 to 5% this year, and those spending $10-20 per month down from 9% to 7%. Join us at the MEF Leadership Forum Africa, in Cape Town, South Africa, on November 12th to learn more about developments in payments and content across the region.

The full report, and all survey data from over 11,000 respondents across 17 countries, is now available to download from mef.mobi and click on MEF Data.