In an AC-driven gas discharge display device and especially a plasma tube array type, a return path is provided for alternate discharge current flowing between X and Y driver circuits. The AC-driven gas discharge display device comprises a front-side, transparent substrate and a rear-side substrate sandwiching therebetween a plurality of thin discharge tubes arranged side by side; a plurality of pairs of display electrodes on an inner surface of the front-side substrate; and a plurality of address electrodes, in a direction transverse to the plurality of display electrodes, the rear-side substrate on an inner surface. Striped light-blocking, electrically conductive films are disposed on an outer surface of the front-side substrate at locations between respective ones of the pairs of display electrodes and coupled at their opposite ends to respective points of a common reference potential in the X- and Y-electrode driver circuits, respectively, to provide a return path for alternate discharge current.