Gamers Who Spend Money on ‘Loot Boxes’ Twice as Likely to Gamble, Research Shows

According to a new report published in the peer-reviewed journal named Addiction Research & Theory, gamers who purchase “Loot Boxes” are twice more likely to get into gambling and online betting. The report findings are based on research conducted on over 1600 adults in Canada to examine the hypothesis psychological link between loot boxes and gambling.

Loot Boxes, also known as Treasure Boxes, are specifically designed surprise packages that entice gamers to purchase using real money and get virtual gaming items or features in return.

Highlights

• Gamers who purchase “Loot Boxes” are twice more likely to get into gambling, says a recent study.
• The research was conducted on over 1600 adults in Canada.
• The report is published in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction Research & Theory

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The study further reveals that certain correlations between video games and gambling continue even when other risk factors such as childhood neglect or depression are managed for their symptomatic effects.

The authors of the final published report have also indicated that the research findings will have huge implications for the healthcare sector and policymakers worldwide. The researchers have further called for dedicated further research on the advantages of including features that could minimize harm.

Some of the online gaming platforms have already added such features into their systems where players purchasing Loot boxes are informed about the disadvantages of gambling.

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Loot Boxes are specifically designed surprise packages that gamers purchase with actual money and get a range of random virtual gaming items such as weapons or new features for the games. Online gaming platforms use Loot Boxes as a common way of attracting gamers.

While referring to the report findings, Sophie Coelho, a PhD student at York University, Toronto said, “Findings indicate that loot box purchasing represents an important marker of risk for gambling and problem gambling among people who play video games.

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The persistent associations we observed between loot box purchasing and gambling may provide preliminary support for the role of it as a ‘gateway’ to gambling and eventually problem gambling.”

Coelho further added, “Loot boxes may prime people to gamble and increase susceptibility to problem gambling.”

The research evaluated 1,189 students from five Canadian institutions and 499 gamers from various online platforms on their previous year’s loot box purchase behaviour.

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