A paper published by PlayFirst has proclaimed tablets an entertainment powerhouse, with gamers downloading more than 20 games a year.

The US study - carried out in conjunction with Frank N. Magid Associates - surveyed more than 2,500 people, with results suggesting that, not only are tablet owners buying more and more games, they're also spending more in-play.

Monetisation matters

Overall, games are now the most monetisable content category on tablets and the second most popular activity.

On average, 23 percent of tablet gamers buy virtual goods in play, spending an average of $62.

It's growth that PlayFirst claims makes tablets a more lucrative platform that smartphones, where gamers download an average of 10 games and spend $25 each in play.

"This study reaffirms what we’ve seen in our own business as demand for both tablet and smartphone games continues to be strong and growing," said PlayFirst chief executive Marco DeMiroz.

"Consumers love the free-to-play model as it gives them an opportunity to explore and play more games. Tablets are a natural home for these games especially as we see more beautiful displays and innovative features reaching the market."

iOS on top

Looking deeper into the figures, PlayFirst reports iOS gamers are more likely to play games, pay for paid releases and buy in-game virtual goods on either smartphones or tablets than those with Android devices.

Overall, game downloads on smartphones are up 30 percent year on year, with free-to-play releases "increasingly significantly."

PlayFirst concludes all said trends are set to continue, too. Almost half of all respondents said they plan to play tablet games during the next 12 months, with half of non-current gamers on smartphones also planning to or considering playing games in the coming year.

You can read the study in full on PlayFirst's website.