The guidelines form the basis for identification of health trends and statistics globally and are the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions.
They are used by medical practitioners, including doctors and nurses in the 100 countries were WHO is recognised, to diagnose conditions and by researchers to categorize conditions.  The inclusion of a disorder can shape national healthcare budgets and insurance policies.
This means that in the future, treatment for gaming disorders could be funded by the National Health Service, although there is not yet any guidance drawn up on how to treat this particular condition.