Research highlights growing social and mental health benefits of board games

New University of Plymouth research reveals that tabletop games are fostering well-being, inclusion, and connection, with significant benefits for those displaying autistic traits and broader societal impacts as the market for these games rapidly expands.

Tabletop games are having more than a nostalgia moment. New research from the University of Plymouth has added fresh evidence that board games can strengthen well-being, encourage inclusion and support learning, with particularly strong benefits for people who display autistic traits. But, as the researchers noted, the social value of play is broader than that: for many players, it offers a low-pressure way to connect, unwind and feel part of a group.

That matters at a time when loneliness and stress remain persistent concerns. Data cited by the research puts the global board games and playing card market at almost US$20 billion in 2025, with forecasts rising to US$32 billion by 2030. Interest in tabletop gaming was boosted by the pandemic, but it has not faded with the return of normal social life. The digital detox trend has also helped, as more people look for activities that are shared, screen-free and less solitary than many online hobbies.

Studies over the past few years have linked board games to reduced stress, isolation and anxiety, alongside gains in socio-emotional development and relationship-building. A narrative review published in BioPsychoSocial Medicine found 83 relevant studies and reported benefits ranging from improved cognitive impairment and depression outcomes in traditional games such as chess, Go and Shogi to healthier behaviours in newer educational games. At Kansas State University, the Bonding thru Board Games programme uses play to build self-control, communication skills, a positive self-image and executive function, the mental processes involved in planning, focus and self-regulation.

Retailers and community organisers say the appeal is not only therapeutic but social. Andrea Robertson, co-owner of Rain City Games in British Columbia, said the shop increasingly serves as a “third space” for customers, offering a place to meet without the pressure of screens or algorithms. According to the figures cited in the report, annual ticket sales for store events rose from about 8,500 in 2024 to more than 9,100 in 2025, a sign that in-person play still has room to grow.

For some communities, access has also become a question of inclusion. David Plamondon, who co-founded Pe Metawe Games in Edmonton in 2021, said the hobby has often felt unwelcoming to LGBTQ2S+ people, women and Black, Indigenous and people of colour. His store, Canada’s only Indigenous-owned board game shop, was created to remove barriers and create a safer space. Plamondon, a Cree game consultant, has also worked with developers to ensure Indigenous stories and values are represented respectfully in games that draw on those traditions.

That push for more inclusive design is shaping the wider industry too. The Vancouver Playtest Group, founded in 2018, brings designers together to test prototypes, while the University of British Columbia has launched the Critical Play Lab and Fellows Programme to connect scholars, students and local game makers. For newcomers, the advice remains simple: start with a local game night, ask a specialist shop for recommendations and choose something approachable. The broader lesson from the research and from the communities around these games is equally straightforward: play can be fun, but it can also be a practical way to build confidence, connection and calm.