April 19, 2021 NewsFamily law

Is gaming ending marriages? Here’s what the research says.

A UK-based website, Divorce Online, recently released a report with some surprising statistics. According to the report, 5% of the divorces filed in 2018 in the UK were due to a digital gaming addiction. One game in particular stand out – Fortnite.

These stats apply to the UK, but are they pertinent to South African couples, too? Absolutely. Fortnite has swept up South African gamers along with the rest of the world, having brought in nearly R4 billion in just one month. Also consider that studies have shown, the average South African can spend up to 14 hours per day on digital media, and 40% of all South African marriages end in divorce before couples reach their 10-year anniversaries.

Looking at these figures, it’s clear that gaming and digital device usage are bound to affect marriages.

Having handled numerous complex divorces, I can tell you that I see more and more relationships ending due to tech-related issues. Even the World Health Organization has officially recognized ‘gaming disorder’ as a modern illness.
It’s definitely time that we take online addictions seriously – our relationships could depend on it.

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