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Addicted to the Game

How serious a global health problem is internet and gaming addiction?

Gaming is big business. More that 2 billion gamers around the world generated more than 100 billion dollars in game revenues last year. But for some people all the fun is coming at a cost. The World Health Organization wants to classify gaming addiction as a mental health condition for the first time. The addiction is described as a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour that takes 'precedence over other life interests'. So how concerned should we be? What's the evidence that people can become addicted? And how severe can the addiction become? Do the types of games that are played - role playing vs. shoot'em up - and the environments they're played in make a difference? And how will improvements to augmented and virtual reality technology change the picture? This week on Newshour Extra Jonny Dymond and a panel of experts look at gaming addiction: serious problem or moral panic?

(Photo of addicted gamer by Getty Images)

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sat 13 Jan 2018 12:06GMT

Contributors:

Berni Good - cyber-psychologist and consultant to the gaming industry

Dr Daria Kuss - psychologist at the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University

Steve Pope - psychotherapist treating gaming addiction

Dr Andrew Przybylski - psychologist based at the Oxford Internet Institute, at Oxford University

Also featuring:
Jack Perry - says he was addicted to gaming

Dr Jo Twist - CEO of UK Interactive Entertainment,聽the trade body for the UK's games and interactive entertainment industry

Broadcasts

  • Fri 12 Jan 2018 00:06GMT
  • Fri 12 Jan 2018 09:06GMT
  • Fri 12 Jan 2018 18:06GMT
  • Fri 12 Jan 2018 23:06GMT
  • Sat 13 Jan 2018 04:06GMT
  • Sat 13 Jan 2018 12:06GMT

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