Mr Dromgoole told delegates at the EGN conference that it was important to look at ways of enticing these people to buy and play more games.

"There are loads and loads of casuals," said Mr Dromgoole. "It is worth chasing them. They are our new frontier."

Currently these players account for 11% of the $30bn spent annually worldwide on games, adding up to a sizeable potential source of revenue.

The games industry needed to learn how to tap into this lucrative market, Mr Dromgoole told delegates.