Canadian Youth Problem Gambling Expert Dr. Jeff Deevensky recently made a strong case for the loot box of video games. The expert, who has studied incorporating gambling into games, said in an interview that popular mechanics in many games allow children to gamble, something parents should be aware of.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, loot boxes are in-game rewards that can be purchased in virtual currency or real money, and their contents are hidden until purchase. Their randomness makes it a game of chance or some kind of gamble. You can also include access to player characters, cosmetic items, weapons, tools, or new gaming features in various video games.
In a recent interview, Dr. Derebensky said that over the past few years, he and other experts have been studying the combination and merger of betting and games. He said some of these games are online games and such products are designed for fun, but people can actually start gambling with real money to match the game.
He is also afraid that game companies are worried about current gamblers, not about making children future gamblers. The expert said that by buying loot boxes, people are essentially engaging in gambling activities, spending a significant amount to get one of the goods from a box that is worthless in the real world.
In Canada, video game companies cannot provide gambling, and these loot box mechanics are primarily attracting the attention of young people who cannot take legal gambling. This is something that needs to be addressed, Dr. Derebensky said. In addition, there have long been warnings that loot boxes encourage gambling, especially among young people.
Previously, Dr. Derebensky said he wanted to educate teachers about the potential harms to children exposed to gambling at an early age. This was related to many teachers hosting betting pools in their classrooms or running casino nights for children and parents for real money. Experts warned that this could be dangerous even in small samples and cause children to become overly involved.
We also discussed ways in which gambling has grown in recent years, which have been socially acceptable and normalized, and noted that everyone, including children, is now at increased risk to children due to gambling advertising, and the prevalence of gambling among adolescents could rise by 80%.
B.C. Court, loot boxes are not gambling
In March this year, a Supreme Court judge from British Columbia ruled that Electronic Arts' loot box mechanic was not a form of gambling.