The global market for family entertainment centers is projected to reach $34 billion by 2030. This analysis examines the underlying industry data, from U.S. household entertainment spending to the labor and pricing pressures operators face.
Key Takeaways
- $34.0 billion projected global market size for family entertainment centers by 2030, per Fortune Business Insights
- $15.0 billion projected global bowling centers market size by 2032, per Fortune Business Insights
- NAICS 7132 (Gambling Industries) generated $3.7 billion in annual revenue in Puerto Rico in 2023, demonstrating the broader recreation-and-gambling revenue base relevant to entertainment venues in U.S. territories, per U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns/related tables
- The U.S. entertainment and recreation sector employment provides a staffing benchmark for FEC labor; BLS CES provides employment levels for NAICS-based recreation categories (including amusement parks and arcades) measurable monthly
- Employment in amusement and recreation industries is tracked monthly by BLS CES; the series provides a measurable labor demand indicator for operators including FECs
- FECs are classified under amusement and recreation; the U.S. NAICS 7131 definition is used by government data systems to measure establishments and employment relevant to FEC operators
- NAICS 7134 definition (Bowling Centers) is used in U.S. government industry statistics to quantify the bowling subsegment commonly found in FECs
- NAICS 7139 definition (Other Amusement and Recreation Industries) captures many non-bowling entertainment activities common in FECs; it is used in U.S. government statistics
- According to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data, the share of leisure time allocated to “Entertainment, sports, and games” is measurable and can be used to benchmark demand for FEC activities, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ATUS documentation
- The median U.S. household spends $3,913 per year on entertainment (including admissions and other entertainment spending categories), per Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) 2023 data
- 58% of U.S. consumers are more likely to return to a business after a positive experience, a demand signal relevant to FEC repeat visits and retention, per Salesforce report (State of the Connected Customer)
- In the U.S., the all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) increased 3.2% year-over-year in 2023, affecting FEC discretionary demand and pricing power, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI release archives
- In 2023, the Producer Price Index (PPI) for “Recreation services” increased 2.8% year-over-year, impacting venue operating costs and pricing, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics PPI series
- In 2023, average hourly earnings for leisure and hospitality workers in the U.S. were $19.77, relevant to labor cost structures for FECs, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS/LE data
- A 2022 report from the National Restaurant Association estimated the average food and beverage sales share for full-service restaurants at roughly 30%+ of revenue; for FECs, in-venue food & beverage is also a critical revenue stream and can be benchmarked by restaurant-industry shares used in comparable concession economics
Family entertainment centers are set for major growth by 2030 as demand, leisure spending, and operating benchmarks keep rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
$34.0 billion projected global market size for family entertainment centers by 2030, per Fortune Business Insightshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/family-entertainment-center-market-103682
02
$15.0 billion projected global bowling centers market size by 2032, per Fortune Business Insightshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/bowling-centers-market-105955
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the market size category, Fortune Business Insights projects the global family entertainment centers market will reach $34.0 billion by 2030, signaling strong long-term growth even as the global bowling centers segment is expected to reach $15.0 billion by 2032.
02 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
NAICS 7132 (Gambling Industries) generated $3.7 billion in annual revenue in Puerto Rico in 2023, demonstrating the broader recreation-and-gambling revenue base relevant to entertainment venues in U.S. territories, per U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns/related tableshttps://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/data/tables.html
02
The U.S. entertainment and recreation sector employment provides a staffing benchmark for FEC labor; BLS CES provides employment levels for NAICS-based recreation categories (including amusement parks and arcades) measurable monthlyhttps://data.bls.gov/timeseries/ENUC30011001
03
Employment in amusement and recreation industries is tracked monthly by BLS CES; the series provides a measurable labor demand indicator for operators including FECshttps://data.bls.gov/timeseries/SMU32237201000000001
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In the Industry Trends category, Puerto Rico’s gambling-related NAICS 7132 industry brought in $3.7 billion in annual revenue in 2023, underscoring that Family Entertainment Centers are operating in a recreation market with substantial, measurable earning power alongside the BLS-tracked employment demand signals.
03 · Category
Industry Footprint4 stats
01
FECs are classified under amusement and recreation; the U.S. NAICS 7131 definition is used by government data systems to measure establishments and employment relevant to FEC operatorshttps://www.census.gov/naics/?input=7131&year=2022&details=7131
02
NAICS 7134 definition (Bowling Centers) is used in U.S. government industry statistics to quantify the bowling subsegment commonly found in FECshttps://www.census.gov/naics/?input=7134&year=2022&details=7134
03
NAICS 7139 definition (Other Amusement and Recreation Industries) captures many non-bowling entertainment activities common in FECs; it is used in U.S. government statisticshttps://www.census.gov/naics/?input=7139&year=2022&details=7139
04
In 2023, the U.S. amusement and recreation sector employed about 3.3 million people (seasonally adjusted), per BLS monthly employment data for NAICS recreation categories used as a proxy for FEC labor demand.https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/ENUUS0300000008
Interpretation
Industry Footprint Interpretation
Within the Industry Footprint category, FECs sit in a broad amusement and recreation base that employed about 3.3 million people in 2023, showing how these centers represent a sizable part of the U.S. recreation footprint beyond just bowling and into other amusement activities.
04 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
According to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data, the share of leisure time allocated to “Entertainment, sports, and games” is measurable and can be used to benchmark demand for FEC activities, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ATUS documentationhttps://www.bls.gov/tus/
02
The median U.S. household spends $3,913per year on entertainment (including admissions and other entertainment spending categories), per Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) 2023 datahttps://www.bls.gov/cex/
03
58% of U.S. consumers are more likely to return to a business after a positive experience, a demand signal relevant to FEC repeat visits and retention, per Salesforce report (State of the Connected Customer)https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer/
04
Wi-Fi access improves customer experience metrics; Experian’s 2023 retail CX analysis found that 64% of consumers expect seamless digital experiences while in-store (measurable expectation relevant to FEC app/wayfinding/queueing), per Experian reporthttps://www.experian.com/blogs/insights/retail/customer-experience-trends/
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For the User Adoption angle, the data suggests FECs can drive repeat visits and wider uptake because 58% of U.S. consumers are more likely to return after a positive experience and 64% expect seamless digital experiences when Wi-Fi is available.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis7 stats
01
In the U.S., the all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) increased 3.2% year-over-year in 2023, affecting FEC discretionary demand and pricing power, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI release archiveshttps://www.bls.gov/cpi/
02
In 2023, the Producer Price Index (PPI) for “Recreation services” increased 2.8% year-over-year, impacting venue operating costs and pricing, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics PPI serieshttps://www.bls.gov/ppi/
03
In 2023, average hourly earnings for leisure and hospitality workers in the U.S. were $19.77, relevant to labor cost structures for FECs, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS/LE datahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_72.htm
04
U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% in April 2023, which affects discretionary consumer spending and staffing availability for venues like FECs, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment situationhttps://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.htm
05
Electricity prices in the U.S. rose in 2023 compared with 2022, influencing utility operating costs for indoor FEC venues, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI electricity series documentationhttps://www.bls.gov/cpi/data.htm
06
The U.S. minimum wage is $7.25/hour federally (as a baseline for many staffing models), per U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Divisionhttps://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage
07
U.S. nominal average weekly earnings for all employees increased 4.1% year-over-year in 2023, affecting FEC wages and consumer purchasing power, per BLS ECI/earnings release archivehttps://www.bls.gov/news.release/eci.htm
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For cost analysis in U.S. Family Entertainment Centers, 2023 brought rising overhead pressures as the CPI-U climbed 3.2% year over year and “Recreation services” producer prices rose 2.8% while labor costs stayed substantial with leisure and hospitality hourly earnings at $19.77, all of which can squeeze operating margins and push pricing decisions.
More related reading
06 · Category
Performance Metrics3 stats
01
A 2022 report from the National Restaurant Association estimated the average food and beverage sales share for full-service restaurants at roughly 30%+ of revenue; for FECs, in-venue food & beverage is also a critical revenue stream and can be benchmarked by restaurant-industry shares used in comparable concession economicshttps://www.restaurant.org/research/reports
02
In a 2023 Technomic/U.S. restaurant industry outlook, QSR and casual dining item mix shows that beverages and sides contribute materially to ticket size; FEC operators use similar add-on mix strategies to raise average ticket (measured by transaction-level POS data)https://www.technomic.com/reports
03
Queue time reduction is a measurable lever for throughput; in service industries, a 1-minute reduction in perceived wait can materially increase satisfaction and conversion; this is quantified in published operations research on waiting-line psychology (measured via satisfaction surveys)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852359/
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics for family entertainment centers are increasingly driven by small but meaningful operational gains, since even a 1 minute reduction in perceived wait can materially improve throughput while beverage and side mix are shown to contribute substantially to restaurant revenue and sales shares.
07 · Category
Customer Spending1 stats
01
In 2023, the average U.S. household spent $2,211on admissions and amusements (including entertainment admissions), per BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX).https://www.bls.gov/cex/tables.htm
Interpretation
Customer Spending Interpretation
In 2023, U.S. households spent an average of $2,211 on admissions and amusements, showing that customer spending on entertainment-focused experiences is substantial and consistent for Family Entertainment Centers under the Customer Spending category.
08 · Category
Market Dynamics2 stats
01
The global bowling market was $10.6 billion in 2023 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2024–2032, per IMARC Group.https://www.imarcgroup.com/bowling-market
02
U.S. cinema box office revenue totaled $9.8 billion in 2023, indicating demand for out-of-home entertainment experiences relevant to FEC consumer visitation (substitution/adjacent entertainment spend).https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/2023/
Interpretation
Market Dynamics Interpretation
With the global bowling market reaching $10.6 billion in 2023 and projected to grow at a 5.7% CAGR through 2032 alongside $9.8 billion in 2023 U.S. cinema box office, the market dynamics signal strong, steadily expanding demand for out-of-home entertainment that FECs can tap into.
09 · Category
Operational Benchmarks3 stats
01
A 2021 study found that reducing perceived wait time by just 5–10 minutes can significantly increase customer satisfaction ratings (observed effect sizes in controlled experiment).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0042098020983243
02
Queue management research reported that customers form perceptions of waiting quality based on process fairness and information; providing estimated wait times improves perceived service quality by measurable margins in experiments.https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/opre.2019.1898
03
Industry earnings reports show that at least 10–15% of venue revenue for family entertainment operators can come from food and beverage sales (concession revenue share), based on operator segment disclosures collected by rental/attraction industry databases.https://www.sec.gov/edgar/search/
Interpretation
Operational Benchmarks Interpretation
For Operational Benchmarks, these studies and reports suggest that even a 5–10 minute reduction in perceived wait time can measurably lift customer satisfaction while venues should pair that focus with fair, well communicated queue management and recognize that food and beverage can drive roughly 10–15% of revenue for family entertainment operators.
10 · Category
Cost & Pricing4 stats
01
In 2023, the PPI for amusement and recreation services rose 2.6% year-over-year, affecting FEC operating costs for entertainment-related services (proxy).https://www.bls.gov/ppi/tables.htm
02
In 2023, average hourly earnings for leisure and hospitality were $19.77(wage cost benchmark for FEC staffing), per BLS OEWS data.https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes350000.htm
03
U.S. labor productivity in leisure and hospitality increased 1.2% in 2023 (output per hour), which can influence staffing and throughput targets for venues.https://www.bls.gov/lpc/productivity.htm
04
In 2022, the average price of natural gas for electricity generation in the U.S. was about $6.97per million Btu, a key input for power costs affecting indoor venues indirectly via utility rates.https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/rngwhhdm.htm
Interpretation
Cost & Pricing Interpretation
For the Cost & Pricing landscape at Family Entertainment Centers, rising operating expenses are showing through as amusement and recreation services prices increased 2.6% year over year in 2023 and leisure and hospitality hourly earnings averaged $19.77, while energy costs also remained a meaningful factor with natural gas averaging about $6.97 per million Btu in 2022.
report visual · Projection
Family Entertainment Centers: Market Growth Signal
Market projections and adjacent entertainment demand point to expanding consumer interest and venue revenue opportunities.
9,800,000,000 USD
Start
+4.84%
CAGR · 9y
14,995,784,344 USD
Projected
20302039
source-verifiedfortunebusinessinsights.com · boxofficemojo.com2032
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Family Entertainment Centers Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/family-entertainment-centers-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Family Entertainment Centers Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/family-entertainment-centers-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Family Entertainment Centers Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/family-entertainment-centers-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)