draw parallels with research done in relation to the gambling industry, of that 1.7%, only 0.5% to 3% are at risk of developing problems associated with their gaming habits.
In the second of two specially commissioned columns ahead of the annual ICE exhibition in February, Stuart Tilly, executive director of the Social Gaming Association, discusses why the body was set up in 2012 and how he views the future of social gaming
he burgeoning social gaming industry has seen a proliferation of casino-style social games as developers look to these perennial favourites to attract more users and, more importantly, maintain engagement. Recent figures estimate that 173 million people play gamblingorientated social games (2.6% of the world's population) putting a price tag of US$1.7bn on the industry, a number that is expected to rise to $2.5bn by 2015. It is therefore no surprise that this sector has attracted interest from those looking to capitalise on this rapidly growing space, as well as a great deal of scrutiny from those who are concerned about what social harm may be done if this industry continues to operate in an unregulated environment. The regulation debate is in its infancy but gaining rapid momentum among gambling regu ?F?'2?B?F?W"?W???7?FV6?6?????W'2F?B&R??rv?f??rF?R6V7F?"?v??f?VBvF6???r'&?Vb2F?W?6??6?FW"v?WF?W"?"??BF?W6RG?W2?bv?W2( 2v?W2F?B??F?Rf6R?b?B?????BfVV???RG&F?F????v?&??rv?W2( 26??V?B6??RV?FW"F?R66?R?bF?V?"WF??&?G????&?FV7BF?RgV??W&&?R????R?bF?R6?????&wV?V?G2?( ?fR?V&B??F??2&Vv&B?2F?B&VwV?F????2?V6W76'????&FW"F?&?FV7BF?R??V?r?BgV??W&&?R??6?6?WG?&V??r?W&VB'?F?Rv?G??Bv???W"?b7F??RF?W??v?B??B?fR?F?W'v?6R&VV?W??6VBF??F?W&R?2?6??R6????????W&V?B&?6??6VB'?G&?f??6??rv?&??rv?F?????gV?V?f?&???V?B?B?bF?R??V?r?BgV??W&&?Rf???rf?7F??F?FF?7F????f?'7F???f??B?BF?ff?7V?BF?G&rF?7F??7F???&WGvVV?v?RF?B???w2??RF?W&6?6R6??2v?F?&V????W?F???Bf?'GV???W"F&?R?Bv?RF?B???w2??RF?W&6?6R?fW7F?6?F?w&?R????W"f?'GV?f&??F?W&R?2?W7B2?V6?6??6R?b6??V??R7V?F??r&W???B??2?"?W"?V?2??V?F?W"66V?&????Bv?V?B?F?W&Vf?&R?&Rw&??rF?6??v?R?WBv?&??r??&?V?FFVBv?W2f?"7V6??GFV?F????W7B&V6W6RF?W??????BfVV???Rv?&??r??B?2???'F?BF?v?fR6??RW'7V7F?fRF?F?R&wV?V?B????6???W&6V?FvR?b6?6??v?W'27GV??'Bv?F??????W??B?6?v??f?6?F??F?R6??fW'6???&FR???r??W'2?bv?&??r??&?V?FFVBv?W2?2??vW"B?rRF??F?RfW&vR?b??Rf?"F?R6V7F?"2v???R??bvP????&VwV?F???6?V?B7F?f?R&?f?G2?Bv?V?B?F?W&Vf?&R?V"F?7&??'F???FRF?G'?F??f?&??&VwV?F???7&?72F?RV?F?&R6V7F?"F?FG&W72F?R&?6?2?b6?6???&?F?B&R???WfW"??V?F?ffV7B???&?G??f?&??&VwV?F???v?V?B??Wf?F&?7VVW?RFWfV??W"?&v??2?&W7G&?7B?W&F????f?W??&??G??BFB??W'2?bF???7G&F?fR'W&FV??F?R???&?G??b6?6??v?W'2&Rv???rF?V????F?V?"W?W&?V?6Rv?F??WB7V?F??rV?????WB???Rf?&??rv?&??rFF?7F????6?v??&?6?V?FW&????rF?RG???2?B????fF?fR?GW&R?bF??2?V?"f?&??bV?FW'F???V?C???vWfW"???GW7G'?FWG&7F?'2v????gFV?f?7W2????W"&?FV7F???2&V6??f?"W6???rF?V?"vV?F?BF?R6?6??v??r??GW7G'??27VffW&VBFVw&VR?b?VvF?fRV&?6?G?&V6V?F???F??2&Vv&B?7F?&?W2?b66????6???G&V?&V??r&?RF?&6?W??&RF??CR???FV'B???W72F?????F??"6??f?7F???2??&V?F???F?F?RF?VgB?bf?'GV?7W'&V?7?F?6V????F?R&?6??&?WBF???F???rF??V??'G&?F?R??GW7G'?2??RF?B?W&FW2B??v??WfV?2?b&?&?G???b6?6??v??rvW&RF?6??g&??BF??2?77VR?VB???Bv?V?BV?F?V'FVF??V?V?&??FV?F?R??GW7G'?( ?2??vR??F?RW?W2?b?Vv?6?F?'2?&VwV?F?'2?B?F?W"??7???W'2?'?&V6?v??6??rF?W??fR&W7??6?&??G?F?&???FR?B&?FR'?&??6??W2?b&W7??6?&?Rv??s?&??6??W27V6?2G&?7&V?7??g&VB&WfV?F????B?F?W"6??7V?W"&?FV7F????V7W&W2??Bv???v????rv???FV?W&??r????VV?W&?6??2f?"f?&??&VwV?F???F?&R??G&?GV6VB?F?W2V?7W&??rF?R??GW7G'??2&?RF?6??F??VRF??W&FR??G???2?????fF?fR?B????F?67&???F?'?V?f?&???V?B?wwr?Vw&?v???R?6???Sp??