Playing Cards And Board Games Market Analysis Report By Product, By Distribution Channel And Segment Forecasts From 2019 To 2025

Industry Insights

The global playing cards and board games market size was accounted for USD 11.95 billion, in the year 2018. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2019 to 2025. Old school games are gaining high popularity particularly among the millennial population in their social gathering is projected to boost the market growth. Playing cards on various occasions and celebrations and building strong teams through these tabletop games are expected to supplement the product demand.

The market growth is attributed to the growing popularity of card and tabletop games for recreational and entertainment purposes. Manufacturers are concentrating on the development of simple games having impressive layouts and stylish mechanics to acquire more market share. Further, the increasing number of cafes specialized in board games across the globe is also anticipated to fuel the market growth. For example, the Hankey and Waterloo branches of Draughts Café in London have around 850 and 500 such games respectively. Manufacturers are launching several innovative board games to attract new customers.

Mega gaming events happening at various places have improved the visibility of board games and cards resulting in augmenting product sales in the gaming market. For example, in 2015, the Game On Expo introduced the biggest gaming convention and fastest-growing event in Arizona. It consists of free-play arcades, a lounge area, many special guests, a cosplay competition, and various other tournaments. These board games help in developing various cognitive skills in children such as brain buzzing, early learning, teamwork, and vocabulary among others.

Factors such as celebrity endorsements and social media are influencing customers particularly consumers in the millennial age group, across the globe. For example, a popular TV series named TableTop featuring Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton has influenced many customers and boosted the sales of several tabletop games used in the series. Further, conventional card games have been replicated into modern online games owing to the growing popularity and driving manufacturers in introducing new digital versions of traditional card games. For example, Asmodee Digital, in 2019 introduced its brand new The Lord of the Rings card game for Mac and Windows.

Distribution Channel Insights

The playing cards & board games market is dominated by the offline channel accounting for over 65% market share in 2018. Customers prefer to purchase these board and card games from retail stores. The growing number of gaming cafes providing customers more opportunities for recreation and enjoyment is projected to supplement the segment growth. Further, pubs and malls are coming up with gaming zones like Timezone and Smaaash which are predicted to further support channel visibility over the forecast period.

The online channel is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.9% over the forecast period. Increasing penetration of mobile gaming and various online gaming platforms like Play Station and Xbox are the factors responsible for the growth of this segment. Moreover, an increase in the working-class population in developing nations such as China, India, and Bangladesh is expected to create lucrative opportunities for online gaming manufacturers. Also, the growth of toys and the online games market is projected to proliferate product sales.

Product Insights

The Board Games Product segment led the market which accounted for more than 67.0% of revenue share, in 2018. Some of the widely played board games are checkers, chess, ludo, monopoly, and scrabble. The segment growth is attributed to increasing video interactions, growing involvement in leisure activities, and breaks in between working hours. The launch of Kickstarter, a fundraising platform has altered the business model of the segment, wherein the segment owns 30% of the revenue of the company.

The monopoly held the dominant position with over 29.8% market share, in 2018. It is a highly demanded board game for the past many years. It is a great source of enjoyment and also teaches lessons such as developing patience, financial prudence, and planning among others. Chess and Scrabble are anticipated to grow significantly in the upcoming years.

Playing cards is projected to register the highest CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period. Some of the widely played card games are Poker, Magic, UNO, Spades, and Rummy. The growing trend of casino culture to win some cash is predicted to boost the product demand. Card games also help in learning various skills such as group interaction, personality development, and verbal communication.

Regional Insights

In 2018, Asia Pacific dominated the market with a 34.3% share, 2018. Increasing the number of casinos due to the growing popularity of card games in Asian nations such as Japan and India is projected to augment the growth of the regional market. Moreover, board games like Chess and Bridge are recognized and played at the International Olympics. Such factors are further expected to fuel growth.

North America is anticipated to ascend with a CAGR of 9.2% over the forecast period. Shifting the preferences of consumers especially millennials towards traditional board games for recreation is encouraging the culture of board game-specific cafes. Along with conventional games, the region is also projected to showcase a significant growth in demand for the new board and card games thereby proliferating the growth of the regional market.  

Playing Cards and Board Games Market Share Insights

Leading players in this industry include Delan Service, Buffalo Games, LongPack Games, NECA/WizKids LLC, Boda Games, Disney, UNIVERSITY GAMES, Games Workshop Group PLC, IELLO USA LLC., and Grey Fox Games. The key players are focusing on the introduction of new products having new designs, innovative concepts, and layouts. For example, Mikol introduced the world’s first premium poker cards made up of the finest black marbles. These cards are lightweight and durable along with easy to handle.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Million Insights has segmented the global playing cards and board games market report on the basis of product, distribution channel, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
    • Playing Cards
    • Board Games
        • Chess
        • Scrabble
        • Monopoly
        • Ludo
        • Others

• Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
    • Offline
    • Online

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
    • North America
        • U.S.
    • Europe
        • Germany
        • U.K.
    • the Asia Pacific
        • China
        • India
    • Central & South America
        • Brazil
    • Middle East & Africa