The average gamer that has access to online games spend a average of 3 hours per week playing online and another 5.4 hours playing offline , for a total average of 8.4 hours a week. This is a considerable investment of time playing video games. However, although not very common, there are a number of video gamers that have a severe addiction to their hobby and spend much more than 8.4 hours a week on video games. The severity of their addiction creates an unhealthy lifestyle with a sole focus on playing video games. The end result hampers productivity in workers and students, creates isolation (which is further discussed under its own heading), and in general becoming an individual that is frowned upon and disliked by society. This is why most workplaces ban computer gaming on their computers; it kills productivity and therefore is a waste of money. In the rare occasion that they take a break from video gaming these gamers will tend to feel uncomfortable; many show signs of irritation or depression. On the other hand, once the gamers start playing again, they feel a sense of power and euphoria. Because of this, addicted gamers will spend increasing amounts of time playing, to the point that they cannot stop themselves, playing in secret and lying to others to conceal their addiction.
Some say that video gamers become addicts for one of two reasons: a primary addiction, where the gamer is addicted to the machine and the games itself, and a secondary addiction, where the gamer plays as a form of escapism. Thus, addicts can be classified accordingly into these two types.
An actual, documented case of addiction describes a 12 year-old boy that had a habit of spending 4-5 hours daily at the video game arcade. Since the arcade charges a set fee for each round of game, a daily session would cost the boy 30 to 50 American dollars; too much money for him to afford. Consequently, the boy had to steal to sustain this lifestyle. Other chronic gamers will give up food, clothes, and other social activities in order to gather money to play video games.
A study from the Digital Games Research Association has explored the explanation of why gamers can get addicted to games. This study focused on gamers that played the massively multiplayer online game EverQuest, which has been dubbed by many as “Evercrack”, in reference to the addictive nature of the game. This is because they're comparing the game to the drug “crack”, which forces its users to be addicted. Although the study focuses on this game, almost all of the findings can be applied to other games too. The study concluded that many of these gamers are excessively playing EverQuest because the simulated world in the game is constantly changing and they do not want to miss out on anything in this simulated world when they are away from the game. Therefore, they will play EverQuest as much as possible. Gamers also have a feeling of obligation to be regularly online to socialize and play together with other gamers. In addition, they are also captivated with winning more points in the games, which usually unlocks great rewards that can symbolize their success in the game, particularly in online games where other players can see your accomplishments. Gamers also spend increasing amount of time gaming in an “escalating effect” akin to drugs. This effect occurs because gamers will eventually become accustomed to the sense of enjoyment provided by a game and so the gamer would need to play for longer and longer hours to achieve the same enjoyable sensations. This effect become a loop; the more a gamer plays, the more a gamer needs to play to feel pleasured. But perhaps the most addicting aspect of a video game is that most games increase in difficultly as the gamer progresses through the game and master the skills of playing the game; thus, a gamer is never bored and the game is always an attractive challenge waiting to be defeated.

1.United States
2.South Korea
3.Thailand
4.China
5.Germany
6.Greece
7.Canada

A 21 year old gamer, Sean Woolley, committed suicide after playing the game EverQuest for 36 hours non-stop. His mother blamed the video game as the cause of the suicide and sued the owners, Sony Online Entertainment. Her goal was to open up his game account for investigation and to have warning labels put on the games, warning other gamers of the addictiveness.

Another gamer, 24 year old Kim Kyung Jae collapsed after playing computer games for 86 hours in a single stretch at a 24-hour “PC Baang”, a business that is operated like an internet cafe for games. As a result of incidents like this, the South Korean government has turned from promoting the use of technology and the Internet to devoting its attention to address Internet addiction, which includes online gaming. For example, the government has put funds into creating the Center for Internet Addiction and Prevention and Counselling (CIPC) as online games such as Starcraft, Lineage, and Ragnarok.

As a result of over 600,000 players, which is a great number, playing Ragnarok in Thailand the country has viewed the game as a problem. As of July 15, 2003, the Ministry of Technology in Thailand has imposed a curfew that blocks game servers for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game between 10pm and 6am.

In 2001, many parents complained that their children were out for day on end many playing video games. Because of this, Chinese authorities have shut down almost 2000 Internet cafes after inspecting almost 60,000 of them in an attempt to stop the excessive gaming.

In Boltenhagen, Germany, a camp has been set up to help children cure their addiction for computers and video gaming. At the camp, campers are allowed only 30 minutes of computer usage a day, and are encouraged to spend more time on outdoor activities than video gaming. After attending the camp, a child was quoted as saying “My friend had no time for me, I think I was probably a computer addict.”

The Greek government has impose a very strict law which states electronic games with “electronic mechanisms and software cannot operate anywhere in Greece”. This means that video games and Internet cafes are not allowed. The law was created to curb video gaming and the associated gambling; breaking it results in very severe punishment of fines ranging from 5000 to 75000 euros and even imprisonment.

Many cities, mostly in the province of British Columbia, have bylaws that regulate the operation of amusement centres, including computer-gaming cafes. This bylaws state that the operation of such amusement centres is not allowed between 1am to 6am on weeknights and 2am to 6am on Fridays and Saturdays. Currently, there are fines of $100 CDN for violations; punishments do not get anymore severe. Therefore, some computer-gaming centres prefer to break this restriction and stay open all night after discovering that there are actually enough gamers that pay to play at night to offset the fines.