Professor: Video game loot boxes offer same hit as betting

The rise of so-called loot boxes in video games has prompted calls for tighter regulation to protect young gamers.

Loot boxes appear as chests, crates or card packs with players using real money to acquire items such as weapons, special abilities or “skins” that alter a character’s appearance.

However, the result of the transaction is often uncertain and psychologist Dr Aaron Drummond of Massey University, New Zealand, says the experience is akin to gambling. The world-leading expert said: “In some specific areas of gaming, we are seeing the implementation of specific gambling-like features. One of the areas of research I’m undertaking at the moment is around the similarity between loot boxes in video games and conventional forms of gambling.

“These are often bought for real world money and provide players with a random reward. Our initial examination of the features of these loot boxes suggests that many of them meet the psychological criteria to be considered a form of gambling.

“Exposure to gambling-like mechanisms might encourage transition into real world gambling. In addition, there is a concern is that people who are vulnerable to the mechanism, such as players who have problem gambling symptoms, appear to spend more on the mechanism than people without problem gambling symptoms.

“This is a finding that has been replicated many times around the world. Our research also suggests the association between problem gambling symptoms and loot box spending was stronger for those gamers who reported being isolated due to the pandemic.

“Ultimately, it appears there is a strong case to be made for regulatory action. A good first step is to increase the amount of information that is available to consumers about the issue.

“One way to do this is to provide appropriate classification or warning labels about the presence of loot boxes in video games to allow consumers to make informed choices for themselves and their children.

“There is also a clear need to continue to consider whether additional age restrictions or other consumer protections might be necessary to protect young vulnerable consumers.”

Loot boxes are common in firstperson shooter games such as Star Wars Battlefront II and others. They can also be found in sports games, such as Fifa, Madden and others. Epic Games’s hugely successful game Fortnite changed the way it uses loot boxes in-game in 2019, allowing players to see the contents before purchase.

In Fifa, the world’s bestselling sports video game, you can reportedly spend £500 in a day on packs that give gamers the chance to unlock star footballers. The makers, Electronic Arts said: “In Fifa, spending is always optional and most players choose not to spend at all. We agree with the many regulators, including in the UK, who have concluded that loot boxes are not gambling. We will continue to listen to our community, take action in the service of our players and invest back in the game to make it better and more fun for everyone.”