New data from PayPoint reveals a sharp rise in demand for gaming vouchers at local convenience stores, with more than £1m worth sold through neighbourhood retailers in the last two months alone.
The surge reflects changing shopping habits among gamers, with convenience stores becoming a go-to destination for last-minute top-ups, gifting and everyday digital essentials. PlayStation is leading the charge, with more than £475,000 worth of vouchers sold since the start of April.
At a local level, a convenience store in Middlesbrough has emerged as the UK’s top-performing individual retailer, selling £10,815 worth of gaming vouchers since just April.
The data also reveals the UK’s biggest gaming hotspots, with major towns and cities driving strong in-store voucher sales across PayPoint’s retail network.
Glasgow tops the leaderboard, with gamers spending more than £55,000 on gaming vouchers across PayPoint’s 1,200 retailer partners in the region. The UK’s top three gaming postcode areas were revealed as Glasgow, Cleveland an Liverpool.
The growth comes as PayPoint continues to expand its digital gaming voucher portfolio, which now includes Nintendo, PlayStation, Roblox, Fortnite and Xbox, it revealed, as the demand for gaming vouchers in local retailers soars.
Interestingly, the data also revealed Xbox gaming voucher sales have increased since Microsoft reduced the cost of Game Pass by up to 26% on 21st April 2026.
Jo Toolan, MD of network services at PayPoint, said: “Convenience stores are increasingly becoming a one‑stop shop for a wide range of everyday services, and the growth in gaming vouchers is a clear reflection of that shift. Whether it’s the ability to use cash, pick something up while running errands or access digital services locally, these vouchers are meeting real customer needs.
“It’s a strong opportunity for retailers to earn additional commission and drive footfall, while also giving gamers a simple, secure and flexible way to top up or gift credit.”
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