Kidtech firm SuperAwesome and in-game advertising platform Anzu have released the results of a new joint report showing that 86% of parents believe their young gamers wield substantial influence over household decisions and purchasing behaviors. 

Gaming the Future was released today at the IAB Gaming Upfronts in London, based on a survey conducted with more than 30,000 parents and kids under the age of 18 in the UK, France, Germany and the US this year. 

SuperAwesome has found that younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha gamers are more aware of and open to in-game ads—75% of kids in the UK and the US say they improve their gaming experience overall. This makes them powerful brand ambassadors who can shape parental buying decisions in product categories including clothes (95%), toys (94%), snacks (91%), games (77%) and electronics (73%). 

Anzu considers gaming to be the most influential digital media channel for kids under age 18. This audience is 2.3 times more likely to recommend products discovered through in-game ads, blowing other platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Netflix and YouTube out of the water. And it’s no surprise to see why—on average, kids are playing video games for 11 hours a week, and 55% of them say that gaming is their favorite activity.

SuperAwesome estimates there are 618 million gamers under the age of 18 worldwide, representing a 20% share of the total gamer population. As for where they play, tablets came out on top for kids ages four to nine (49%), with tweens (65%) and teens (82%) opting for smartphones.