SA gears for online gaming risks

For now, she says, we can only to call parents to familiarise themselves with the Internet and what it can offer especially when it comes to gaming.

“In developing countries, such as SA, although the level of broadband penetration is still relatively low, there is an even greater risk to children due to the lack of awareness and available resources, for example time that parents are available to provide adequate supervision,” she says.

Myburgh believes the challenges will certainly grow once children are on the Internet (regardless of the purpose), the risk is present that they will be exposed to inappropriate content through, such as advertisements and pop up windows. “There is also the risk that the game they choose to play contains excessive violence or otherwise age-inappropriate content,” she points out.

According to the first edition of the PWC's South African Entertainment and Media Outlook, a key driver of online gaming will be the growth in the broadband universe because most games require a broadband connection to be played effectively.

The report revealed that the broadband universe in SA grew by 50% over the past two years, but penetration remains low at only 600 000 households. “Over the same period, the number of online video game subscribers almost tripled to 65 000 from 25 000 in 2007.”

PWC anticipates the number of broadband subscribers to increase almost five-fold during the next five years to 2.9 million in 2014, a 36.6% compound annual increase from 2009, says Myburgh.

The penetration of online players to decrease from 10

“We expect the penetration of online players to decrease from 10.8% in 2009 to 8.8% in 2014, due to the huge increase in broadband households.”

Experts assures that, Internet gaming can be a safe and enjoyable online activity if people educate themselves and practice the basic principles of good computer security.

Online gaming has many positive aspects and it has become a major source of entertainment, developed new industries and sources of revenue, and introduced new uses of the human imagination to millions of people, it adds.

However, it is important to know and guard against the risks associated with the Internet gaming world to keep it safe and enjoyable for all, PWC advises.