Welcome to r/science! This is a heavily moderated subreddit in order to keep the discussion on science. However, we recognize that many people want to discuss how they feel the research relates to their own personal lives, so to give people a space to do that, personal anecdotes are allowed as responses to this comment. Any anecdotal comments elsewhere in the discussion will be removed and our normal comment rules apply to all other comments.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[removed]

No real surprise there, imo. Lootboxes are basically gambling. Just wrapped in a "fun and rewarding!" package in a game... And somehow still far less regulated than "regular" gambling.

It is gambling. The major difference is that in traditional gambling your chasing a universally accepted value, money, while with a lootbox you are chasing perceived value in a game. In the end it's still spending money for a chance to get value. It's gambling and it shouldn't be a surprise that getting kids used to gambling has an effect on how often they will gamble in the rest of their life.

[removed]

Doesnt the EU have anti lootbox legislation because of stuff like this?

Ah yes this floor is made of floor...

Your lootbox mechanics, if not the entire game, are likely designed by straight up casinos. Regulation has been way too slow to catch up to horribly exploitative market practices in this context. These studies should have happened over a decade ago, and legislation should have been passed already. Instead, we're still entertaining arguments that they don't constitute gambling at all.

In this study about gambling, gambling has been linked to gambling and problem gambling. Meaning people who do gambling are more likely to gamble and are also more at risk from the negative effects of gambling.

I've only heard of loot boxes via academic researchers on the internet (who have never bothered explaining what they are). Not something the general public is aware of, I think.

In Belgium it is gambling according to the law...

Not EU wide, some EU countries do.

[removed]

Not only that but China does as well... Although it is more so for gacha since that is the big thing over there. Genshin Impact being a prime example.

It is typically a pack of digital items to use in a video game. Usually chances of getting something considered “a very useful item” are slim to none.

Basically, loot boxes are purchased to unlock “random” items/characters with the hope of something great, instead of purchasing something specific.

I find that my gaming friends do not care for these types of things, while my decade younger sibling and their gaming friends are absolutely obsessed.

[removed]

"lootboxes are for losers"

Then, "let's buy a whole box of magic the gathering cards!"

I wonder why I can set a budget for myself at the Blackjack table and have no problem walking away when I hit that budget but have to stop myself from downloading gacha games because I have a hard time resisting loot boxes.

Trading card boosters packs are also arguably a form a gambling.

[removed]

Sure, buying packs in hopes of getting specific cards is also gambling. The major reason this isnt an issue is that there's not that many MTG players who buy packs for a specific card. You buy a box to draft with and you buy specific cards on the secondary market.

Shiiiii who would've thought

[removed]

Title seems a bit unclear. Let's see if I can improve it...

>Loot box gambling is associated with gambling and problem gambling and gambling gambling when controlling for known psychological gambling risk gambling factors of gambling

Yeah when it's MY game, it's NOT THE SAME, OKAY?

That's not what i said at all, i agree it's also gambling and I'm pointing out why there's less of a big deal about TCG packs as there is about lootboxes.

[removed]

[removed]

It's like Belgium and a few others. Sadly not enough to make an impact.