Game on: Laois ranks third for competitive gaming, according to research
The Irish gaming industry is now worth an estimated €250 million, according to Virgin Media Ireland. Photograph used for illustration purposes.
NEW research reveals that Laois ranks third for competitive gaming in Ireland, with the county recording 1,240 competitive gaming searches per 100,000 people.
The study, which was conducted by Virgin Media Ireland, analysed performance-driven search behaviour keywords across every county. It collected searches such as ‘ranked mode’, ‘how to go pro in gaming’ and ‘esports gaming’, adjusted per 100,000 people for a fair county-by-county comparison.
According to a statement by Virgin Media Ireland, Laois’s third place position in this ranking should come as no surprise.
“Laois is not only one of the best-connected counties in Ireland, with an average broadband speed of 249.79 Mbps, but it also ranks as the number one county in the country for esports streaming, with 33% of its adult population watching esports regularly”, the statement reads.
Taking first position is Carlow, with 2,066 competitive gaming searches per 100,000 people. Leitrim follows in second, recording 1,392 competitive gaming searches per 100,000 people. Leitrim gamer Adam Houat represented Ireland at the Red Bull Tetris World Final in Dubai in 2025. The event brought together finalists from 60 countries and created a live, playable game of Tetris.
Ireland’s gaming audience is no longer solely comprised of younger demographics and now encompasses people in their 50s and 60s.
The Irish gaming industry is now worth an estimated €250 million, with over two million people gaming regularly, and more than half of all Irish adults playing every week, according to Virgin Media Ireland.
Research carried out in 2020 by Censuswide, on behalf of Pure Telecom, revealed that that almost one-quarter (22 per cent) of Irish adults watch or participate in esports (competitive video gaming).
Censuswide’s research found that Laois residents were among the biggest streamers of esports in the country, at 33 per cent of the county’s adult population, followed by Dublin (29 per cent) and Limerick (27 per cent).
The global esports market is now valued at more than €3.7 billion, with multiple Irish people competing in tournaments internationally.
