Tired of a packed inbox or concerned about online scams? Here’s why having more than one email address is a smart move.
Why You Should Use a Separate Email for Gaming

Is your inbox packed to the rafters with notifications, marketing emails, and spam? If so, it might be time to set up a separate email account just for your gaming activity. With data breaches becoming more common these days, creating a dedicated gaming email is also a practical step towards improving your online security.
Should I Have a Separate Email for Gaming?
Having a dedicated email address for gaming is a smart move. You can use it to sign up for gaming platforms, take part in forums, or receive game-related newsletters and promotional offers. Not only does it help keep your main inbox clean and manageable, but it also lowers the risk to your primary account if something goes sideways. If you ever fall for a phishing attempt or if one of your accounts is compromised, the damage is limited to your gaming email — your personal or work address stays protected. The same applies if one of the gaming services you use suffers a data breach.
Looking to boost your security even further? You might want to consider using a prepaid gift card from Recharge when paying for games. That way, you can reduce how much personal and payment information you share online.
Do I Need Two Email Addresses?
At a minimum, yes — but why stop there? It actually makes good sense to separate different areas of your online life. According to Forbes, it’s best to use at least four email addresses: one for sensitive information like online banking, one for work, one for personal messages with friends and family, and one for online shopping or gaming.
Is Gmail a Good Email Service for Gamers?
Gmail is a solid choice for gaming — it’s widely accepted across platforms and comes with strong built-in security. Still, it is worth being aware of some privacy trade-offs.
Pros of Gmail for Gamers:
- Widely accepted – most gaming services accept Gmail without issue.
- Strong protection – includes robust spam filtering, two-factor authentication, and other security features.
- Free storage – offers 15GB of free space shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos.
- Convenient integration – works smoothly with other Google services like Calendar and Docs, which is great for coordinating multiplayer sessions or sharing files.
Cons of Gmail for Gamers:
- Privacy concerns – Google scans your emails to tailor ads and recommendations.
- Less control over data – compared to some privacy-focused providers, you have less oversight regarding how your data is used.
Is It Illegal to Have Multiple Email Accounts?
Not at all. You are well within your rights to create and manage multiple email accounts. That said, some people may misuse them for shady activities — like spreading disinformation, avoiding bans, or getting around account restrictions.
Be sure to familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions of your chosen email provider. Some may limit how many accounts you can open, or how they can be used.
Should I Have Two Gmail Accounts?
Definitely. Having more than one Gmail account can help you stay on top of things — keeping your work, personal life, and gaming separate. It also cuts down on clutter, and reduces the risk of missing something important in a sea of marketing emails.
Having different accounts also lets you tailor each one. Your work address might include your name or business, while your gaming email could feature a username or alias — helping protect your identity while online.
Should I Make a Separate Professional Email?
Yes, absolutely. You do not want your gamertag showing up on your résumé or in work-related messages. A professional email address helps you maintain a clean, polished presence and keeps everything organised:
- Use folders and labels to sort your inbox
- Unsubscribe from newsletters you are no longer interested in — tools like Unroll.me make this quick and easy
- Flag or label emails that need your attention
- Set up rules or filters to automatically send emails into the right folders
- Regularly delete emails you no longer need to free up space
Still feeling overwhelmed? Block off a small window each day to tidy up your inbox.
What Is the Best Email Service for Personal Use?
Pros | Cons | |
Gmail | 15GB free storage shared across Google services
Excellent spam filtering and search Easy integration with Google Drive, Calendar, Docs, etc. |
Google scans some data for personalisation |
Outlook | 15GB of free storage
Easy integration with Word, Excel, Teams etc. Good spam and phishing protection |
Ads in free version |
ProtonMail | End-to-end encryption by default
Based in Switzerland with strong privacy laws No ads |
1GB free storage
Some features (like custom domains) require a paid plan |
Yahoo Mail | 1TB of free storage
Easy-to-use interface Good spam filtering |
Privacy could be a concern (historically the platform has been less secure than others)
Ads in free version |
iCloud Mail | Seamless integration with macOS, iOS, iCloud
No ads 5GB of free iCloud storage |
Lacks advanced email features
Limited if you’re not an Apple user |
Should You Use Your Email as a Username?
It may be convenient, but using your email address as your public username can be risky. If it gets exposed in a data breach, cybercriminals have already got half of your login credentials — and can target you with phishing scams.
Whenever possible, use a username that isn’t tied to your email, especially for anything involving money or sensitive data. If you need to use an email, choose one that is separate from your primary account. You can also consider using email-masking tools like Apple, Firefox Relay, or SimpleLogin. And when you’re shopping online, prepaid gift cards from Recharge are a secure and simple way to make purchases without giving away your payment details.
What Are Some Cool Email Names?
A great email address should be easy to say and spell, and something you will still feel comfortable sharing years from now. Try to avoid pop culture references, slang, or numbers that might give away your age or the year it was created.
If you are using your real name, putting a dot between your first and last name usually does the trick. Already taken? Try using initials or tacking on a simple word like ‘mail,’ ‘contact,’ or ‘inbox.’
If you’d rather keep things private, get creative with a hobby, inside joke, or a clever wordplay. Whether it is hiking, baking, or just being known as ‘the one who is always late,’ a personal twist makes your email more unique — and harder to guess.
Is It OK to Have One Email for Everything?
It might feel like the easy option, but it’s not ideal. The more time we spend online, the more email we get — and relying on a single account for everything gets messy fast.
It also increases your exposure to scams, phishing, and spam. Setting up a few separate email addresses is a simple way to stay organized, protect your privacy, and take a bit of the stress out of digital life.
Written by
Josie England