Mobile gaming continues to capture a large share of the digital games market, representing close to 50% of all video game full-game downloads in the US, according to the latest report from New York-based market research company The NPD Group.

The Online Gaming 2011 report finds that even among those using a console for online gaming, the biggest share of full game digital downloads purchased was for mobile devices, followed by personal computers, consoles and portables.

Still, mobile games appear to be more of a compliment – rather than burden – to the traditional gaming sector, as the majority of consumers are pairing mobile gaming with their console or portable games. Among those who purchased a mobile game in the past three months, 60% indicated that they are still spending the same or more on console and portable games, while 40% reported spending less.

According to NPD industry analyst Anita Frazier, the potential for future growth within the mobile gaming sector remains strong as more consumers are using smartphones for games of all types