The recent study from UBC researchers finds that players who use loot boxes in video games show similar traits of problem gamblers. The official study has been provided by the University of British Columbia and it emphasizes the connection between loot boxes and casino risk. According to the explanation, loot boxes represent randomly generated awards which can be bought during the gameplay.
More About Loot Boxes
Loot Boxes appeared for the first time in video gambling in the mid 2000s. Thanks to them, customers were able to have them as prize and players were also motivated to procure them for real or virtual currency.
Nowadays video gamers don’t have an idea of what they get before they open a loot box. Following this trend, UBC has even published a warning video about loot boxes in video games.
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Survey Results
Following the rising trend of loot boxes, UCB spread research on this topic. As part of the study, there were several questions included like Have you ever played a game with loot boxes or Have you sold a loot box or loot box item.
According to the research, about 60,3 % of surveyed individuals said that they spend money on loot boxes. In this group of people, around half reported that they usually spend $17,50 while 10% spend more than $50 on loot boxes.
Later on, researchers checked the relation between loot boxes engagement and gambling-related issues. Players are asked to evaluate themselves based on several statements like:
“I frequently play games longer than I intend to so I can earn loot boxes” or “I have bought more loot boxes after failing to receive valuable items.”
The experts have conducted two separate studies. According to the first, about 15,3% of gamers spend more than three hours on loot boxes on week basis while 5,56 spend more than six hours for the same purpose. According to the second study, about 15,5% of people spend three hours per week on loot boxes while 6% of them spend about six hours per week.
The researches evaluated results and found a correlation between loot boxes involvement and problem gaming behavior.
Overall Study Results
If we take a look at the overall results of the study, we can see the following numbers. There are about 79,3% of people who agreed that loot boxes remind of betting and 86,2% of gamers who agreed that „loot boxes“ are a form of gambling.
On this occasion, Gabriel Brooks from UBC Centre for Gambling Research said: “Our findings are consistent with voiced concerns that loot boxes overlap with gambling, and support the need for regulators to consider gambling-like mechanisms within video games,”
Finally, about 90% of the surveyed people said that they used to open a loot box in a video game. At the same time, more than half of the participants reported that they spent money on loot boxes.
