Introduction: Given the pivotal role of entrepreneurship education in developing the competencies required in the twenty-first century, the need to employ innovative teaching approaches has increasingly attracted the attention of scholars and policymakers. Among these approaches, gamification has emerged as an effective tool for enhancing motivation, engagement, and learning quality. Despite its significance, limited research has systematically examined its dimensions and implications in entrepreneurship education. Accordingly, the present study aimed to design and analyze a thematic network of gamification’s impact on entrepreneurship education, exploring its dimensions, opportunities, and challenges within the educational context of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults in Kermanshah.

Methodology: This applied research was conducted using a qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews based on a protocol developed from the literature review and research objectives. The study population included instructors and managers of the Institute, as well as university faculty members. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis approach, comprising initial coding, theme searching, theme reviewing, defining and naming themes, and report generation. To enhance validity and reliability, triangulation techniques, including participant checking and concurrent coding by researchers, were employed.

Findings: The analysis led to the identification of a thematic network consisting of 90 open codes, 18 subthemes, and 5 overarching themes. These themes included: the content-related effects of gamification on entrepreneurship education (diversifying learning, institutionalizing entrepreneurial culture, and redefining learning elements), facilitating learners’ role-taking through active participation and interactive experience, cultural and social factors influencing acceptance and effectiveness, systematic planning and implementation emphasizing infrastructure, goals, attractiveness, and creativity, and the appropriate design of gamification components through accurate identification and rational quantification. Findings indicated that gamification effectively enhances intrinsic motivation, cognitive engagement, learning attractiveness, and overall quality of entrepreneurship education. Moreover, several emerging elements of gamification were identified, which were integrated into the final model and aligned with prior studies.

Conclusion/Implications: By presenting a conceptual–practical framework comprising five core themes linked to various components of entrepreneurship education, this study provides a scientific foundation for researchers, educators, and policymakers to design effective innovative teaching methods through the application of gamification. The findings suggest that attention to infrastructure, scientific and specialized game design, learner training, and addressing implementation challenges can significantly improve the effectiveness of gamification. These results can serve as a basis for both theoretical advancement and practical development of novel approaches in entrepreneurship education.