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Playing Dirty: Research Reveals The Nationalities That Cheat The Most At Video Games

Reading Time: 3 minutes
- UK gamers ranked 16th – more likely to cheat than their Aussie counterparts, but less likely to do so than players in the US
- Russia, Italy and Israel are the top three countries that cheat at gaming the most
- The US placed as the 11th worst cheaters, with Texas, California and Nevada residents revealed as the three most likely states to use a cheat code
- Gamers in Iceland are the most likely to cheat at the Assassin’s Creed series, Turkey takes the crown for GTA, while UK gamers are the biggest culprits for Animal Crossing cheats
Many people use video game cheat codes to boost their chances of winning, but which nation is home to the world’s biggest cheaters? Uswitch did the research to find out, and it’s revealed Russia, Italy, Israel, Japan and Sweden are the top five countries where gamers cheat the most.
The World’s Biggest Gaming Cheaters
By analysing Google search volume data, Uswitch calculated how many people were actively seeking ‘cheat codes’, ‘cheats’ and cheat codes for specific games, in every country around the world, along with every state in the US.
The search volumes were then adjusted to account for each country’s population to create an index score, to make sure the data compared like for like. The results expose the top 20 countries most likely to cheat while playing video games.
The top 20 countries that cheat the most at video games (and the cheating index score):
| Position | Country | Index ranking score |
| 1 | Russia | 18.40 |
| 2 | Italy | 16.58 |
| 3 | Israel | 4.87 |
| 4 | Japan | 4.48 |
| 5 | Sweden | 4.03 |
| 6 | Romania | 3.13 |
| 7 | Portugal | 2.36 |
| 8 | Turkey | 2.34 |
| 9 | Brazil | 2.32 |
| 10 | Denmark | 2.28 |
| 11 | United States | 2.10 |
| 12 | Ireland | 2.00 |
| 13 | Argentina | 1.92 |
| 14 | Poland | 1.77 |
| 15 | Croatia | 1.52 |
| 16 | United Kingdom | 1.43 |
| 17 | New Zealand | 1.41 |
| 18 | Canada | 1.35 |
| 19 | Australia | 1.28 |
| 20 | Bulgaria | 1.13 |
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A
Half the countries in the top 20 are in Europe – Italy, Sweden, Romania, Portugal and Denmark all make the top 10, and gamers in the United Kingdom ranked as the 16th most notorious cheaters.
The US falls just outside of the top 10, in 11th position. Close behind in 12th is Ireland, Canada comes in in 18th and Bulgaria rounds off the list in 20th position.
From Minecraft to Mario Kart – Which countries cheat the most at different games?
The study also looked into more than 50 of the world’s most popular video games to discover which country cheated the most at each game. Interestingly, Iceland features a massive 18 times – being found to cheat the most for a wide array of games, from the stealthy Assassin’s Creed series to beloved titles like Super Mario.
Malta clocks up eight appearances for games including the classic Resident Evil and Tomb Raider franchises, along with Borderlands and Crash Bandicoot. Turkey, Germany and Ireland all have three mentions and the UK appears twice, coming in as the biggest cheaters at Animal Crossing and LEGO Marvel Superheroes.
The no.1 country that cheats the most at different video games (and their cheating index score):
| Game | Country | Index ranking score |
| Animal Crossing | United Kingdom | 0.35 |
| Ark | Turkey | 0.37 |
| Assassin’s Creed | Iceland | 0.15 |
| Battlefield | Iceland | 0.09 |
| Bioshock | Iceland | 0.15 |
| Borderlands | Malta | 0.05 |
| Call of Duty | Belize | 0.28 |
| Crash Bandicoot | Malta | 0.27 |
| Crysis | Iceland | 0.21 |
| Death Stranding | Slovenia | 0.03 |
| Doom | Iceland | 0.50 |
| Fable | New Zealand | 0.04 |
| Fallout 4 | Germany | 0.66 |
| Far Cry | Malta | 0.18 |
| Final Fantasy | Indonesia | 0.31 |
| Fortnite | Germany | 0.46 |
| Forza | New Zealand | 0.03 |
| Ghost of Tsushima | Italy | 0.03 |
| Gran Turismo | Indonesia | 4.77 |
| Grand Theft Auto | Turkey | 2.74 |
| LEGO Marvel Superheroes | United Kingdom | 0.44 |
| LEGO Star Wars | Iceland | 0.26 |
| Little Big Planet | Ireland | 0.01 |
| Mafia | Czech Republic (Czechia) | 0.29 |
| Mario Kart | Barbados | 0.10 |
| Metal Gear Solid | Iceland | 0.12 |
| Minecraft | Turkey | 5.40 |
| Mortal Kombat | Indonesia | 0.28 |
| NBA 2K | Iceland | 0.29 |
| Need for Speed | Iceland | 0.18 |
| No Man’s Sky | Iceland | 0.15 |
| Pokémon | Barbados | 0.70 |
| RDR2 | Ireland | 1.19 |
| Red Dead Redemption | Iceland | 0.50 |
| Resident Evil | Malta | 0.07 |
| Rocket League | Iceland | 0.29 |
| The Sims | Netherlands | 2.12 |
| Skate 3 | New Zealand | 0.43 |
| Skyrim | Germany | 1.15 |
| Sonic The Hedgehog | Ireland | 0.03 |
| Spider-Man | Iceland | 0.12 |
| Spyro | Malta | 0.29 |
| Starcraft | Iceland | 0.44 |
| Super Mario | Iceland | 0.26 |
| Tekken | Malta | 0.04 |
| The Last of Us | Iceland | 0.18 |
| The Witcher | Malta | 0.07 |
| Tomb Raider | Malta | 0.09 |
| Tony Hawks | New Zealand | 0.02 |
| Uncharted | Iceland | 0.12 |
| Warcraft | Iceland | 0.26 |
Which US states cheat the most at video games?
According to the study, gamers in Texas are more likely to cheat than any other US state, and California, Nevada, Georgia and New Mexico make up the rest of the top five.
When looking at the specific index scores of each US state – although none are as high as Russia’s or Italy’s in the worldwide list – Texas’ score of 2.6 is roughly around the same level as Portugal, which made it to 7th place in the global analysis.
The top 10 US states that cheat the most at video games (and the cheating index score):
| Position | US State | Index ranking score |
| 1 | Texas | 2.60 |
| 2 | California | 2.25 |
| 3 | Nevada | 2.19 |
| 4 | Georgia | 2.12 |
| 5 | New Mexico | 2.06 |
| 6 | Hawaii | 2.03 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 2.02 |
| 8 | New York | 1.90 |
| 9 | Maryland | 1.88 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 1.81 |
To see the full research, including the top 50 countries that cheat at video games the most, visit: https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/worlds-biggest-gaming-cheaters/
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Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced that its industry leading portfolio of games is now live with Ivy Casino in the UK.
Ivy Casino’s players in the United Kingdom can now access global smash hits from Play’n GO, including Book of Dead, Legacy of Dead, and Rise of Olympus 100 among many others.
Ivy Casino is a UK-facing online casino brand that launched in 2024 with a focus on delivering a premium, player-centric experience tailored specifically for the UK market.
The brand operates alongside two sister sites, Rose Casino and O’Reels, which also serve UK audiences and share the same commitment to high-quality entertainment, strong user experience and robust responsible gaming standards.
Play’n GO has been one of the leading game suppliers in the UK for many years and is steadfast in its commitment to regulated markets globally.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer of Play’n GO, said:
“We are delighted to launch with Ivy Casino in the UK who, like us, are focused on all the key elements of operating within a regulated market framework. I’m sure this is just the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.”
Mark Good, representing Ivy Casino, said:
“This partnership with Play’n GO forms part of Ivy Casino’s ongoing strategy to enhance its content offering for UK players by collaborating with leading studios known for creative, engaging gameplay.”
Play’n GO is a proud sponsor of the Moneygram Haas Formula 1 team, and recently launched a fashion brand, Play’n GO Shop, to sit alongside its existing Play’n GO Music brand to give fans more ways to connect with Play’n GO.
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The post Play’n GO games now live with Ivy Casino in the UK appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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New Year’s Eve is one of Brazil’s most significant annual moments, marked by intense domestic travel, international tourism and mass public participation. By supporting celebrations in four key destinations, Esportes da Sorte aligns its brand with tradition, culture and shared experiences that resonate deeply with local communities.
“Sponsoring New Year’s Eve celebrations in four capitals reflects our commitment to being present in moments that bring people together,” said Marcela Campos, Vice President of the Esportes Gaming Brasil Group, owner of the Esportes da Sorte brand. “Supporting these cities means valuing their cultural identity, strengthening local ecosystems and celebrating the people who keep these traditions alive year after year.”
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Esportes da Sorte’s participation also mirrors a wider trend within Brazil’s regulated betting market, as operators increasingly diversify their sponsorship portfolios beyond football. Music, festivals and cultural celebrations have become strategic platforms for brands seeking broader visibility, deeper community ties and more sustainable engagement with the public.
The post Esportes da Sorte strengthens brand presence during New Year’s Eve celebrations across four Brazilian capitals appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Inga Vakulcika, Chief Product Officer at Holi, added: “Holi is artfully fusing craft and technology to create more aesthetically pleasing live games that turn local players’ heads – that means captivating, colourful graphics for a top-notch gaming experience. We look forward to seeing how our unique games perform when placed in front of new audiences via QTech’s emerging-market operators.”
The post Holi Primed For Emerging Markets Via New QTech Games Partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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