Digital entertainment has become engrained in our day-to-day. The first thing we do when we get home is put the television on, while even on our commutes to work we’ve got our headphones in, listening to podcasts or tied to our screens doing puzzles or playing online casino games.
That’s only becoming more so and not just in Canada, but around the world too. In fact, a recent study in the UK by Ofcom found that Brits were spending four and a half hours online every day. A statistic higher than during the pandemic and one that is led by forms of online entertainment. In recent years, casinos have emerged as the leader in entertainment, offering all kinds of games: from crash games and scratch cards to poker with live dealers.
The online casinos Canada Slotsjudge which features the best gaming establishments, is especially helpful in choosing the entertainment that suits you best. But what forms of digital entertainment are Canadians enjoying most?
Ella Houghton, an expert in the digital realm, explores the media types we’re most engaging with on a daily basis.
Streaming Services
Streaming services seem the most appropriate place to start. It’s grown from being a niche market to a huge one, in which TV is becoming niche. In fact, a recent report suggested that people are ditching TV subscriptions for digital ones instead. Brahm Eiley, president at Convergence Research said: “The truth of the matter is the majority of people who subscribe for TV are going to have a (streaming) subscription, but it’s not going to be true the other way,” before explaining that Canadians have on average 2.6 streaming platforms per household.
The likes of Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and Crave are all big in the country, with more and more continuing to enter the market.
Of course, there’s then audio streaming too, with the likes of Spotify and Apple Music also hugely popular. It’s estimated that there are over 11 million people using Spotify in Canada.
Online Gaming
Gaming has seen a real boom over the last decade or so with online gaming becoming more and more accessible. Where once it was largely a favorite among teenagers, that’s expanded to a much wider demographic, including more adults of varying ages and, notably, more women.
Tina Shaw, Creative Director at Activision said on women in gaming: “The mobile gaming industry is evolving, and women are playing a bigger role. Studies show that with 50-60% of mobile gamers now women, there’s a massive opportunity for studios & publishers to create more inclusive, authentic content that creates impact and builds growth.”
It isn’t just mobile gaming where women are drawing parity to men though, it’s the case across all types of gaming and that’s only growing the market and becoming a more prominent pastime in Canadian society.
iGaming and Online Casinos
The rise of online gambling has been like few other industries, not only in Canada but across North America and the rest of the world too. In the likes of Ontario, regulated online casinos have a huge offering of different games that appeal to a wide audience, whether it be poker, online slots or even gameshow like live casino games, which have become more immersive than ever before.
The arrival of professional, video-linked hosts have become a gamechanger, as has virtual reality, while, actually, the simplicity of being able to play a quick game of online blackjack on your way to work or during a spare couple of minutes during a TV commercial break, also has a powerful impact. And it’s seen more and more of us turn to it as a form of entertainment.
Social Media and Short-Form Video
No list is complete without social media. While it’s an ever changing landscape, we always have some form of social media on the go, with Facebook, Instagram and TikTok among the most popular at present. TikTok is doing huge numbers at the moment, particularly among Canada’s younger generation, who gravitate to it looking for snackable video content. It’s making huge stars out of some content creators, while YouTube also remains popular and a more cross-generational staple.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
Finally, the rise of on-the-go entertainment continues to be a hit for Canada. The podcast boom has exploded globally and is perfect for just escaping too for an our whether at work or doing housework.
The likes of true crime podcasts, sports analysis, investigative journalism and comedy have all been getting streams in the millions, while the beauty of podcasts these days is that there really is something to suit all needs.
Final Thoughts: What Do Our Choices Say?
There’s a huge appetite for all manner of digital entertainment these days and it seems that we have something in place for all types of need, whether we want to sit in front of the sofa and watch a movie after a tough day at work, or we want something to keep us occupied for 10 minutes at lunchtime during work.
Of course, the landscape will continue to change and new social media platforms, new ways to stream or game will land on our screens. But one thing is for sure, Canadians will be quick to board those trains and that’ll only change and evolve how we engage, relax and even motivate ourselves over the coming years.
