Gaming has evolved into one of the world’s largest digital industries. According to Newzoo, the global games market surpassed US$200 billion in revenue in 2025, while PwC forecasts the sector will reach approximately US$300 billion by 2029, underlining its continued growth and strategic importance within the broader entertainment ecosystem.
For telecom operators, this shift represents far more than a content opportunity, it presents a powerful way to increase customer engagement, strengthen loyalty and unlock new revenue streams.
Gaming hubs have emerged as the platform that brings these opportunities together. By combining premium games, esports, cloud gaming, rewards and seamless payment experiences within a branded ecosystem, operators can transform their role from connectivity providers into digital entertainment partners.
Why Connectivity Alone Is No Longer Enough
For years, telecom operators have competed primarily on network quality and pricing. While reliable connectivity remains essential, it has become increasingly difficult to sustain growth through connectivity alone.
Consumers now expect their operators to deliver richer digital experiences that extend beyond mobile plans. At the same time, rising customer acquisition costs and increasing competition make customer retention more valuable than ever.
Gaming addresses both challenges.
Rather than being present only when customers pay their monthly bill, operators can become part of their customers’ daily digital lives through services that deliver ongoing value and engagement.
Gaming Hubs: The Evolution of Digital Entertainment Platforms
Gaming hubs have evolved far beyond simple app stores or game catalogues.
Today’s platforms bring together premium mobile games, cloud gaming services, esports content, tournaments, exclusive rewards and community features within a single digital destination. Many also integrate loyalty programmes, personalised recommendations and gamified challenges that encourage users to return regularly.
Today’s platforms bring together premium mobile games, cloud gaming services, esports content, tournaments, exclusive rewards and community features within a single digital destination. With mobile gaming accounting for nearly three-quarters of global digital gaming revenue, smartphones have become the primary gateway to gaming for millions of consumers worldwide. Many platforms also integrate loyalty programmes, personalised recommendations and gamified challenges that encourage users to return regularly (Statista).
For operators, launching a white-label gaming hub enables them to deliver a fully branded entertainment ecosystem tailored to their customers’ interests and market needs.
“In a gaming hub, telcos are looking for four things: a flexible solution that adapts to their specific needs, a strong content proposition featuring leading titles, exclusive experiences that differentiate their offer, and gamification features that keep users engaged over time.”
Paola Caretti (Senior Manager for White Label Solutions and Go-To-Market)
This combination transforms gaming hubs into long-term engagement platforms rather than standalone entertainment services.
From Connectivity Provider to Digital Entertainment Brand
Gaming hubs allow telecom operators to move higher up the digital value chain.
Rather than simply enabling access to digital services, operators can curate premium gaming experiences, exclusive content and personalised offers that strengthen customer relationships while enhancing their brand perception.
“The gaming hub concept represents the true value of content aggregation. It brings together experiences for every type of player—from casual mobile gamers and PC enthusiasts to cloud gaming early adopters and esports fans—creating a compelling value proposition that operators can deliver through a simple subscription model.”
Enrique Galán (Product & License Manager at Digital Virgo)
This broader entertainment positioning not only differentiates operators in competitive markets but also creates recurring customer touchpoints that extend well beyond traditional telecom services.
Beyond Games: Building Communities Through Esports
Gaming today is driven as much by communities as it is by gameplay.
Esports tournaments, livestreaming platforms and gaming creators attract audiences that rival those of traditional sports and entertainment. Consumers are no longer simply playing games—they are watching competitions, following creators, participating in online communities and sharing experiences across multiple platforms.
Gaming today is driven as much by communities as it is by gameplay. Esports tournaments, livestreaming platforms and gaming creators attract audiences that rival those of traditional sports and entertainment. In 2025 alone, esports fans watched 2.7 billion hours of competitive gaming content across live streaming platforms, highlighting the growing influence of gaming communities and the opportunity for telecom operators to engage users beyond gameplay (StreamHatchet / StreamHatchet).
Gaming hubs enable telecom operators to become part of this ecosystem by offering exclusive tournaments, livestreamed events, influencer collaborations, community competitions and loyalty programmes that strengthen customer engagement.
AI and Cloud Gaming Are Raising Customer Expectations
The next generation of gaming hubs is increasingly powered by artificial intelligence and cloud gaming.
AI helps personalise the customer experience by recommending games, promotions and rewards based on individual behaviour, while cloud gaming removes hardware barriers by allowing users to stream premium titles across multiple devices.
For telecom operators, cloud gaming creates a natural synergy with 5G investments, enabling them to showcase network performance while increasing the value of premium connectivity packages.
These innovations are transforming gaming hubs from content libraries into intelligent digital entertainment ecosystems.
Monetisation That Benefits Both Operators and Players
Gaming hubs offer telecom operators multiple revenue opportunities, including subscriptions, premium content, in-game purchases, advertising partnerships and exclusive digital experiences.
One of the most effective enablers of these business models is Direct Carrier Billing (DCB).
By allowing users to charge purchases directly to their mobile phone bill, DCB removes friction from the payment journey and simplifies transactions, particularly in markets where access to traditional payment methods remains limited.
One of the most effective enablers of these business models is Direct Carrier Billing (DCB). By allowing users to charge purchases directly to their mobile phone bill, DCB removes friction from the payment journey and simplifies transactions, particularly in markets where access to traditional payment methods remains limited. According to Juniper Research, Digital gaming is a key market vertical for DCB; accounting for 62% of total DCB transactions in 2026. The total DCB transaction value for digital gaming will rise from $21 billion in 2026 to $28.7 billion in 2030 (Juniper Research).
For operators, DCB strengthens their role within the gaming value chain while creating additional revenue opportunities across every customer interaction.
Why Gaming Hubs Deliver Long-Term Business Value
Gaming hubs contribute directly to several strategic objectives for telecom operators:
- Increase Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
- Reduce customer churn
- Increase customer lifetime value
- Generate recurring subscription revenues
- Differentiate through premium entertainment experiences
- Strengthen relationships with younger, digitally native audiences
Rather than being viewed as standalone entertainment products, gaming hubs have become customer engagement platforms capable of supporting broader digital transformation strategies.
The Future of Telecom Growth is Interactive
Gaming is no longer an emerging opportunity—it has become a cornerstone of the digital entertainment economy.
For telecom operators, the question is no longer whether gaming belongs in their service portfolio, but how quickly they can build differentiated experiences that generate sustainable growth.
Operators that successfully combine premium content, seamless payments, community engagement and personalised digital experiences will be best positioned to increase customer loyalty, diversify revenues and remain competitive in an increasingly experience-driven market.
