How To Make Money Gaming: 5 Proven Methods

We’re in 2025, and yet, many people still think playing games online is just another way to pass the time.

Well, it's certainly true, but that doesn’t mean you can’t earn real money while enjoying the games you love.

In fact, according to Statista, the global esports market revenue is projected to cross $4.8bn in 2025.

Sure, a big part of that number comes from pro gamers making money gaming full-time on titles like DOTA 2 or Tekken.

But who says you can’t earn some quick bucks or pay a few bills by spending just a couple of hours a day playing the game of your choice?

In this guide, we’ll explore how to make money gaming online from the comfort of your home. But first, let's discuss how this is even possible.

Making Money Gaming: Is It Even Possible?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to make money from gaming, especially now more than ever.

There are opportunities for both full-time gamers and those who can only give some of their time.

For instance, professional gamers can earn huge amounts through tournaments. If they’re part of a reputable team, they even get salaries aside from tournament winnings.

Something as simple as showing people your gameplay can get you money.

But this requires effort, consistency, and often a bit of luck. Shroud, a world-famous Canadian gamer and Youtuber reached where he is today through this very path.

Of course, success in these careers doesn’t happen overnight, and most people’s lifestyles won’t allow them to pursue gaming for a living.

So how to make money gaming if you’re in that situation?

Let’s discuss this and other major ways in the next section.

How To Make Money Gaming: 5 Sure Shot Ways

Here are the 5 most lucrative ways to make money through gaming. Each of these differs in earning potential and entry barrier.

1. Get-paid-to Platforms

If you want to know how to make money playing video games without streaming or other skill-based methods, this one's for you.

Yes, there are platforms where it’s totally possible to turn your screen time into cash.

You simply sign up on them, pick a game, and start completing simple tasks to earn money.

The money you get can be in the form of cash or free gift cards that you can cash out through PayPal, Google Pay, or Apple Wallet.

Scrambly is one such leading get-paid-to platform. It has over 150 games and other apps to earn from.

Each of these games has different earning caps, and milestones are as simple as:

• Signing in
• Starting a game
• Reaching a specific level
• Playing a certain number of matches

The biggest advantage of this way of making money through gaming is that it’s very casual.

2. Game Streaming

Every time you go on YouTube, you see someone playing a game. It’s either a live stream or a pre-recorded gameplay video.

That’s not surprising. What’s surprising is that they still have thousands of views, and they’re making money doing it. Some of these streamers might not even be good at gaming.

But this is what’s good about game streaming. If you’re great at a game, that’s a bonus.

But if you’re just a yapper (cool term for a talkative person) and can story-tell or crack jokes during your gameplay, you can still attract an audience.

You’ll need a platform like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, or Facebook Gaming. In addition, you might also need a decent setup like a good-quality webcam, a microphone, and a stable internet connection.

Some gamers even attract loads of viewers on simple gameplay videos without showing their faces or voices.

Now let’s answer the real question: how to make money from gaming and streaming it?

There are multiple ways:

• Viewers can tip you during your stream just to say thanks or show support.
• Fans can pay to subscribe to your channel for exclusive perks like ad-free viewing or special shoutouts.
• If you’ve got enough viewers, platforms will run ads on your streams, and you’ll get a cut.
• If your audience is decent, gaming brands can request you to wear their merch, use specific gaming gear, or simply promote their products during your stream in return for money, of course.
• You can also sell your own merchandise with your logo or catchphrase once you’ve built a loyal fanbase.

All said, you don’t need a million followers to make money. Smaller streamers, often called micro-influencers, can also earn decently.

3. Esport Tournaments

Another way to make big money is by participating in and winning esports tournaments.

This is different from other methods as it requires extra effort, which is why it’s not for everyone. It’s for skilled and competitive players who are ready to put in the hours to master their favorite games.

If you’ve got the reflexes and focus to go up against some of the best players in the world or in your city or country, then this could be for you.

These tournaments mostly revolve around popular games like;

• League of Legends
• Tekken
• Dota 2
• PUBG
• Fortnite
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
• Call of Duty
• Overwatch
• FIFA

Some competitions are team-based, where the prize is split among team players. Others, like Tekken, allow solo players.

Last year’s TEKKEN WORLD TOUR, had an award of $100,000 alone for the winner and smaller amounts for runner-ups.

So, even if you’re not taking home the trophy, there’s potential to earn if you’re playing at a high level.

4. Trade or Sell Game Assets

This method shows how to make money by gaming, specifically through trading in-game items rather than traditional gameplay.

Games like CS:GO, Dota 2, Rust, and others have rare items that other players are willing to pay for.

You can either buy these items early when they’re affordable or win them by winning challenges.

Then, you hold onto these items until they become rare i.e. when they are no more available for sale. A few other factors also influence the value of the skins.

Once the demand is high, you sell them for a profit.

For example, in CS:GO, gun skins are a massive part of this type of trading. A simple skin that’s available today might become a collector’s item tomorrow.

The Case Hardened Karambit, Factory New, pattern 387 (blue gem) has a value of over $1.5 million, the most expensive CS:GO skin to date.

Some major platforms where this trading takes place include Skinport, Skin.land, Skinbaron, and many others.

Roblox also has a way to earn by selling in-game assets, but you need to create them first.

Here’s how it works:

1. You design an asset, like a pack of trees or a set of custom particle effects.
2. List it for sale on a platform like Clearly Dev, or your own website.
3. Players or developers buy your creations, and you make money with every sale.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to make good quality stuff and then later promote it on different channels to get more buyers.

5. Playtesting

This method is actually about how to make money playing video games at home but you’d require technical expertise.

Developers need people to play their games, spot bugs, and give honest feedback about things like the gameplay, graphics, controls, and overall user experience.

But again, this is not for everyone. You need to have:

• Attention to detail: Spot glitches, and bugs in the game.
• Communication skills: Share your feedback in a clear and helpful way.
• Patience: Some parts of the game may not work, and you might have to repeat tasks.

As for what you’ll test, developers may ask you to focus on specific things like:

• Game controls: Do they feel intuitive, or are they clunky?
• Game instructions: Are the tutorials or guides easy to follow?
• Difficulty level: Is the game too easy, too hard, or just right?
• Player experience: What do you like or dislike? Is it fun?
• Navigation: Is it easy to move through the menus and levels?

To get into playtesting, you need to build a gamer resume and network with devs.

FAQs

How do gamers make money?

Gamers make money in many ways. They can stream their gameplay on platforms like Twitch or YouTube, compete in esports tournaments, trade in-game items, test games for developers, and more.

How do I become a paid gamer?

To become a paid gamer, you need to choose a path that suits you best, like streaming, competing in esports, selling game assets, or the easiest, playing games on get-to-paid platforms like Scrambly.io.

Can I earn money playing games?

Yes, you can earn money playing games. Scrambly.io provides a way to earn quick bucks playing light games that don’t require much skill.

For a higher earning potential, you can turn to ways like streaming, esports competitions, and game asset trading.

The Easiest Way to Earn Money Gaming Online!

We discussed several ways regarding how to make money gaming. Some of the methods are quite easy to get started with while others require preparation in terms of skill and setup.

But what’s the easiest way out of them? Something easy that’s for everyone. The answer is get-paid-to platforms.

And as we mentioned, Scrambly.io is a leading platform in this domain. You simply download the app, sign up, and start playing games from a collection of over 150 games.