Video game loot boxes could be linked to problem gambling, B.C. researcher says
It’s no secret video games can be addictive, but now researchers are sounding the alarm about aspects of gaming which could be setting players up for other kinds of trouble.
Luke Clark, director at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Gambling Research, took part in a panel on the issue at New Horizons – a conference hosted by the BC Lottery Corporation with a focus on emerging forms of gambling.
"I'm presenting new research on this link around video game loot boxes and problem gambling,” he said.
According to Clark, loot boxes first began emerging in video games about ten years ago and are now featured in nearly every popular franchise.
They are randomized prize generators that players can earn if they have accumulated enough points. and are also available for purchase in many games.
"Effectively, a kind of mystery box inside a video game. It's going to deliver a randomized prize,” Clark said. “You don't know what you're going to get. That might be a new weapon or a new character."
It’s not all that different than playing a slot machine, and in some cases gamers can take virtual items acquired from loot boxes and sell them to other players for real money.
"There's been a lot of concern about whether loot boxes are effectively a disguised form of gambling,” Clark told attendees at the conference.
He said if loot boxes in video games do constitute a form of gambling – which children have access to – there should be a conversation about whether it needs to be regulated.
"We need some attention within game design at making these platforms safer in terms of spending,” he said. “So, the ability for people to view their spending and set spending limits."
According to researchers, those most likely to be addicted to gaming share some common characteristics with potential problem gamblers.
In many cases, they tend to be younger males – a phenomenon also seen in the seemingly ubiquitous world of sports betting.
The only legal site for sports wagering in the province is BCLC’s PlayNow – but many people who participate in that kind of gambling do so through other unregulated online sites.
"We've noticed that the demographics of sports gamblers that have issues are quite different from regular gambling so we do take a look at that and we do have some people that are looking specifically at sports gambling,” said Marie-Noelle Savoie, BCLC’s vice-president of legal compliance and security.
By sharing information at conferences like New Horizons, researchers and regulators hope to stay ahead of the curve.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.