Gamers are already projected to spend approximately $30 billion on loot boxes this year alone, with this figure rising to $50 billion over the next four years [4].

‘gateway’

This research provides empirical evidence of a relationship between loot box use and problem gambling. The relationship seen here was neither small, nor trivial. It was stronger than previously observed relationships between problem gambling and factors like alcohol abuse, drug use, and depression. Indeed, sub-group analyses revealed that an individual’s classification as either a non problem gambler or a problem gambler accounted for 37.7% of the variance in how much they spent on loot boxes.

This research was ethically approved by the Cross-School Research Ethics Committee for the Schools of Art, Design & Computer Science of York St. John University.

In [20], Drummond and Sauer analysed 22 games which featured loot boxes in order to determine if these games had characteristics of gambling that are necessary for such conditioning, and could therefore form a gateway for gamers to become problem gamblers.

These issues range from domestic abuse [14] and intimate partner violence [15] to involvement in illegal activities [16], increased medical costs [17], and suicidality [18]. Problem gambling is typically described as being both excessive and involuntary.

Problem gambling can be defined as a pattern of gambling activity which is so extreme that it causes an individual to have problems in their personal, family, and vocational life

Contrastingly, France’s online gambling authority ARJEL have ruled that all loot boxes do not legally constitute a form of gambling as there is no financial value to items that can be won in loot boxes

Earlier this year the Belgium Gambling Commission ruled that some loot boxes were in violation of national gambling legislation [6]. More specifically, they ruled that any loot box that can be paid for with real-world money constituted a form of gambling and have ordered that they be removed from video games in Belgium[7].

Both when gambling and when buying loot boxes, individuals stake money on the outcome of a future event, whose result is determined at least partially by chance in the hopes of receiving a valuable reward.

It is estimated that the total amount of revenue generated by loot boxes this year will be approximately $30 billion

High engagement in gambling and gaming activities might serve as a way to mitigate loneliness and related distress

The widespread availability and addictive nature of the loot box system makes it crucial to regulate such monetization practices to protect vulnerable individuals such as young people, lonely individuals, and problem gamblers.

Interestingly, a study by Etchells et al. (2022) did not find associations between mental wellbeing and loot box purchasing,

the study looked at financial consequences and the role of problem gambling in these associations.

With respect to H1, Loneliness had a positive association with Loot Box Purchasing

we will conclude that we have no evidence of metric invariance between models for different genders, nationalities, and age groups.

Therefore, the positive association between Loot Box Purchasing and Indebtedness was indirect and mediated through Problem gambling.

Loot box purchasing was measured with a single-item “How have your online consumer habits changed during the coronavirus pandemic regarding the following services in comparison to your previous habits: Loot box purchases in digital games”

Increased loot box purchasing is positively associated with indebtedness.Given that gambling activities and loot box purchasing often co-occur

Loot box expenditure can add to financial strain caused by excessive gambling (Hing et al., 2022), but it might be problem gambling that plays a major role in debt problems among loot box buyers

Loot box prices typically vary from a few to tens of dollars, and high-spenders use over $100 per month on loot boxes

‘predatory monetization schemes’ are designed to make players both financially and psychologically committed to a game with a purpose of spending more and more money.

Loot boxes are commonly juxtaposed with forms of gambling and generally perceived as a gambling-like activity

roblem gambling is more common among those of lower income (Hahmann et al., 2021), but gambling can further worsen the situation leading to severe financial problems such as indebtedness

Studies have found that loneliness is a risk factor for problem gambling

Several studies have found associations between loot box purchasing and poorer mental health and distress

Concerns have been raised particularly in relation to ‘loot boxes’ that present a controversial form of in-game purchases in pursuit of randomized rewards such as weapons or cosmetic features

The chance-based nature of loot boxes is often juxtaposed with mechanisms of gambling, and these gambling-like mechanisms make them potentially addictive for players