19 Mar 2025

Online Games – The Benefits and How to Stay Safe

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One of the most popular uses of the internet is online gaming. Smart phones, gaming consoles, computers, tablets, and virtual reality devices all allow us to participate in online games alone or with others.

While gaming may seem like a waste of time to some, there are potential benefits to online gaming for everyone: 

  • Games can help develop cognitive skills through strategic thinking and problem solving.
  • First person games (where you have the point of view of your character in the game) can help improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills through precise movements. Others help enhance cognitive abilities like memory, attention, and spatial awareness.
  • Multi-player games provide an opportunity to connect with friends and family as well as meet new people from around the world. Online communities develop and thrive through games and help give people a sense of community, especially for those that find it difficult to socialize in person. Team-based games also help to promote teamwork, leadership, collaboration, and communication skills.
  • Gaming can provide stress relief, an escape from everyday pressures, and provide relaxation and help improve mood.
  • Gaming helps teach overcoming challenges, dealing with setbacks, and multitasking skills as gamers learn to adapt new strategies and keep trying until they succeed.
  • Some games incorporate historical settings, scientific concepts, and language to make learning interactive and fun.

While gaming can provide all these potential benefits, there are potential threats to be mindful of while enjoying online games. The threats gamers may encounter include:

  • Hacking of game accounts to steal valuable in-game items, currency, and personal information.
  • Phishing scams via email, websites, or in-game scams that trick gamers into revealing personal information, login credentials, and payment details.
  • Malware, trojans, and viruses that are often disguised as game modifications\customizations or cheat codes leading to infected systems and stolen data.
  • Cyberbullying and toxic behavior during and after game play that affect players’ mental health.
  • Deepfakes and voice cloning can lead to identity theft, misinformation, and harassment.

How can we protect ourselves when gaming online?

  • Protect your personal information. Use two factor authentication to protect your accounts along with strong password protection. Make sure that you also set up ways to recover your accounts should you forget your password, or your account is hacked. When setting up accounts, only provide the minimum personal information needed to set up your account. If games have a subscription, use a third-party payment system such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, etc. This keeps credit card information out of your account information.
  • Parents should set up parental controls for children, making sure they have access to age-appropriate games. Set time limits on playing as well as when games can be played where possible to make sure kids spend time with friends and family outside of games. Teach your kids about online safety and that they should talk to you or another trusted adult if they feel threatened or bullied when gaming online. Help educate your kids about potential scams online and in games, and make sure they talk to you before purchasing or downloading games or in app purchases.
  • Make sure PCs, tablets, and gaming consoles are updated to the latest operating systems and gaming software. PCs and tablets should have an up-to-date antivirus program on them as well as gaming consoles where possible.
  • As gamers and parents, we should also make sure that we stay safe mentally as we game. We need to protect ourselves and our kids from cyberbullying by playing games with friends and family and only participate in gaming communities that promote positive and healthy gaming habits. Players that bully or create a toxic environment for you and other players need to be reported to the people or companies hosting the games and blocked where possible.

Gaming addiction is real, and both adults and youth need to set up ways to help reduce the possibility of gaming addiction, identify when it happens, and seek help if they become addicted to online gaming.

Avoid gaming addiction by doing these practices:

  • Set specific time slots to play games during the day. Use alarms to remind you when to take breaks from the game and engage in other activities, rest your eyes, stretch, or just take a walk.
  • Make sure to prioritize responsibilities such as work, school, chores, sports, and time with family and friends before gaming. Use gaming as a reward when specific tasks are completed.
  • To help reduce eye strain, try to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes of screen time or game play, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
  • Make sure to engage in other activities. Balance gaming with other hobbies such as reading, sports, or creative projects. Make sure to spend time with friends and family face to face.
  • Monitor gaming habits. Keep a log of how much time is spent gaming and how that time impacts daily life. Adjust the time spent gaming to make sure you take care of yourself, and your other responsibilities. Also monitor in-game purchases and set a budget for gaming expenses.
  • Create game-free zones in the house such as the dining room or bedroom as well as non-gaming hours. Try to keep the devices you use to game out of site or at least off during non-gaming hours.

If you or someone you know is addicted to gaming, seek support from friends, family or find a professional that you or your loved one can talk to. There are support groups available to help people through gaming addiction. Check sites such as Gamming Addicts Anonymous  to see if there is a local group near you.  They also provide online meetings where local groups are unavailable.

Online gaming provides wonderful opportunities not just for fun but for learning and connecting with others. By balancing the joys of gaming with safety measures, you can ensure that online gaming experiences are both fun and secure.

For more information:

Securing Online Gaming:

Cyberbullying:

Gaming Addiction

Follow Lear, Joe K.:

Consultant for Broadband Initiatives, University of Missouri System Office of Engagement. Former Extension Regional Director in NW Missouri. Twenty years in the Information Technology field in Missouri and Kansas.