The results of a poll conducted by the (NCSI) on the use of electronic games among Omani citizens showed that 35% of Omani household members play electronic games.
The poll results showed that 68% of Omani families have tablet devices (Tablet or iPad). PlayStation is the most prevalent electronic gaming device among Omani families, by 59%; followed by Xbox (7%). The poll also showed that mobile phones were in the forefront of devices mostly used for playing games (82%); followed by the PlayStation (39%) and tablet devices (8%).The poll conducted from 22 to 30 September 2019 on a sample of 1,501 Omani citizens 18 years old and above, showed that males play electronic games more than females (28% vs 16% respectively).
The poll results also show that 36% of Omani citizens prefer sports games such as FIFA, which include isolations to various sports such as football, basketball, baseball and golf, while 35% prefer online mass fighting games such as Pub G and Fort Knight, followed by strategic games by 30%.
Males prefer sports games online group fighting games, and racing games than females. In contrast, females prefer strategy, adventure, and games of action. Omanis 18 years old and above spend an average of 87 minutes per day on electronic games, and the time rises to 94 minutes per day for males compared to 71 minutes for females.
The average time for playing electronic games also increases significantly among job seekers compared to employees and individuals outside the labor force (108, 80 and 88 minutes per day, respectively). More than two-thirds of Omanis (68%) believe that playing electronic games has one or more negative impacts on the player's social and business life.
Regarding children playing e-games, the respondents believe that the suitable age for children to play electronic games is 13 years in average, but the results of the same poll indicate that more than half of Omani children under 13 years (51%) play electronic games, and the proportion of males among them is higher than females (56% vs. 46%, respectively).According to the same survey, using mobile phone for playing games was in the forefront, with 71% of children preferring mobiles; followed by tablets, with 59%; Play station with 38%; computer, with 7%; and Xbox, with 2%.
The survey indicated that race games are the first favorite type for children, with 35% favoring them, while sports (such as FIFA games) ranked second, with 28% preferring them. Adventure games rank third, with 25% preferring it, in addition to many other games, which were ranked at lower rates. Educational games accounted for only 3%.
Omani children play electronic games for an average of 40 minutes a day during the school months, while the average playing time during the summer vacation increases to 173 minutes per day.On a daily basis, their families have followed up 74% of children under the age of 13 years who play online games, while 7% of them do not have any family follow-up at all.
The full results of this poll can be found on the website of NCSI: www.ncsi.gov.om