Loot boxes are gambling-like elements in video games with harmful potential: Results from a large-scale population survey. (November 2020)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Loot boxes are gambling-like elements in video games with harmful potential: Results from a large-scale population survey. (November 2020)
- Main Title:
- Loot boxes are gambling-like elements in video games with harmful potential: Results from a large-scale population survey
- Authors:
- von Meduna, Marc
Steinmetz, Fred
Ante, Lennart
Reynolds, Jennifer
Fiedler, Ingo - Abstract:
- Abstract: Loot boxes are a growing feature in the business models of video game production. They can be obtained through in-game purchases ranging from $0.5 to over $100 and contain chance-based virtual items that may offer an advantage in a video game making them gambling-like products. This study seeks to fill the current research gap with the analysis of a representative survey among 46, 136 Internet users. Within this sample 1508 are Pay2Win users and more specifically, 586 of those Pay2Win users (38.9%) purchase loot boxes. Loot box users are an average age of 36.7 years and are predominantly male (55.3%). A high number (45.9%) meet the criteria for problem gambling measured by the PGSI. A significant negative age-effect exists, and a lower level of education has strong positive impacts on loot box participation. Loot box participation and purchasing frequency are positively associated with gambling problems and we argue that loot box purchasers are at risk of experiencing gambling problems. Highlights: Over a third (38.9%) of Pay2Win users purchase Loot Boxes. It exists a significant negative age-effect on Loot Box participation. A lower level of education has strong positive impacts on buying Loot Boxes. A high number (45.9%) of Loot Box users meet the criteria for problem gambling. There is a positive association of Loot Box participation with gambling problems.
- Is Part Of:
- Technology in society. Volume 63(2020)
- Journal:
- Technology in society
- Issue:
- Volume 63(2020)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 63, Issue 2020 (2020)
- Year:
- 2020
- Volume:
- 63
- Issue:
- 2020
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2020-0063-2020-0000
- Page Start:
- Page End:
- Publication Date:
- 2020-11
- Subjects:
- Gaming -- Pay to win -- pay2win -- Problem gambling -- Game purchases -- Microtransactions
Technology -- Social aspects -- Periodicals
303.483 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0160791X/ ↗
http://www.elsevier.com/journals ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101395 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0160-791X
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 8761.023000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 22540.xml