A friend remarked to me that playing video games professionally today is the equivalent of professional gamblers in the times of the talmud, specifically in that both are not involved in "Yishuvo shel Olam" (loosely: the substantive betterment of the world).
Do any modern day halachic authorities discuss the occupation of playing video games professionally?
The same would probably therefore extend to singers or anything like that. Besides for the fact that I believe there are other reasons that gambling is assur, gamers technically are supplying entertainment (such as singers), whereas gamblers are just... gambling.
The only reason we work instead of learning Torah the whole day is to have a Parnassah and support our families. In theory, if someone would hand you 100 Million Dollars, you'd have a Chiyuv to sit and learn all day. There are certainly better jobs than playing video games all day. Clearly, you're doing it because you want to play video games, not just for the Parnassah. Therefore it is Assur. It's either Torah or working for PARNASSAH. In the Hadran when we make a Siyum it says Anu Mashkimim L'divrei Torah, V'heim Mashkimim L'dvarim B'teilim (Worthless things). Don't put yourself in the 'V'heim Mashkimim' category by playing video games all day. I am not saying that any work you enjoy is Assur, but this, you are clearly doing it because you want to play video games, since it's not a high paying job at all. I believe it's similiar to gambling.
