This Video Game Feature Now Associated with Gambling Problems
By Movieguide® Contributor
While gamers have known for years that loot boxes are addictive, predatory systems, a new study has officially shown these virtual rewards are associated with gambling.
“The data shows a clear relationship between depression and anxiety, found both as a precursor or as an outcome of gambling severity, and this may also be similar for loot box buying because, although weaker, anxiety and depression were both associated with riskier loot box buying,” said Mark D. Griffiths, a researcher who worked on the study.
Loot boxes are a feature heavily promoted in many free-to-play games that operate similar to a slot machine. Players who choose to open the box will receive a reward from a set item pool. While many of these items are common and undesired, there is always a chance to pull an extremely rare reward that might even sell for thousands of real-life dollars. While there is oftentimes a way to collect loot boxes by playing the game, the primary method to accrue them is to purchase them with real money. This has caused some kids to spend tens of thousands of their parents’ dollars chasing after these virtual items.
Dr Ruijie Wang, a senior lecturer in psychology, said loot boxes “can blur the line between playing and gambling because players spend money without knowing what they will receive, which can lead to impulsive spending and addiction.”
“Overall, the results [of the study] suggest that, at least to some extent, loot box buying shares similar mental health risk factors with other behavioral addictions,” explained Matthew Flinders, a professor of mental health and co-author of the study. “When it comes to loot boxes, players usually spend real-world money to get random virtual items which may or may not yield a reward. So many experts are already calling for loot boxes to be regulated by existing gambling laws.”
READ MORE: NEW LAWSUIT LOOKS TO HOLD VIDEO GAME COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR SELLING ADDICTIVE PRODUCTS
Despite the efforts of parents and industry experts, loot boxes remain completely legal and unregulated despite them exposing kids to gambling practices at a very young age. Hopefully studies like this one will be the impetus needed for change as science begins to prove that loot boxes indisputably have a negative impact on the players who encounter them.
READ MORE: HOW GAMBLING TOOK OVER THE GAMING INDUSTRY
