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Are Loot boxes gambling or not?

As loot boxes are now being called for immediate gambling regulation by the House Of Lords. Now is the time for me to say what I think about this subject.

I think that loot boxes are gambling by definition because you aren’t paying directly for an item you directly want. Instead you are paying for an item that provides you with a chance to get the item you want. Alternatively you may get an item you don’t want with the odds predetermined by the game. Sometimes you may not even get anything at all.

Loot boxes themselves are comparable to fruit machines for various reasons. First reason being that the psychological mechanics used on fruit machines are identical to the ones used by loot boxes.As they both rely on the chemical reactions in our brains to various factors such as the lighting provided when using both items, the feeling of success winning the jackpot/impulse of trying again believing that you can earn the jackpot on the next turn. Many loot boxes have preset odds (with odds as low as 0.01%)  theoretically even though you could win the ‘jackpot’, you could also win nothing with the odds being significantly towards to the latter.

Unsurprisingly loot boxes are a marketing tool for game companies. Mainly as a demonstration to show items off that you can get. It does also show that you can actually get the top items from them. As a result of this viewers to such videos will go out buy them in bulk in the hope of getting items that they desire. Even though on many instances the odds of obtaining items have been amended in favour of many youtubers.

But complications lie within the legality on whether or not it should be implemented. Does also have splashback on other items not dissimilar to loot boxes which include trading card packs. But it does have a knock on effect on all games. If it becomes classed as gambling it would bring radical changes. As every game that uses any real world currency to gamble regardless as to what the prize is would face restrictions in various countries. Thus limiting profits game companies could be making. Consequently it would mean that even games explicitly aimed at small children that utilise such mechanic would (on paper) no longer be playable by its target audience.

Loot boxes are also in games that children play on. Which I think is questionable as they may not able to understand what they mean and their purposes. Lootboxes themselves are also not free most of the time, which will mean that a ‘free’ game isn’t free. But it does also bring in that children will potentially be able to start gambling in a young age. But yet games that are for children cannot have any gambling in it even with virtual currency. However loot boxes are fine which involves real money and this is very contradictive. I also think that games that are for children and universal audiences shouldn’t have them in at all.

Another thing that I don’t like about loot boxes is their purposes. Whilst a good number of loot boxes are mostly aesthetic items. Which I have no problems with as it mostly provides no bonuses. I can also admit that for some people getting these items can bring happiness for them.

However in some games this isn’t the case as they won’t confine it to aesthetic items. This I think is bad as you can in some games buy your way to the top. I feel that it shouldn’t be an existing feature in games as your meant to earn your way to the top. But now you can flush money down the rabbit hole in a bid to be the top player.At this point it also shows everyone how greedy companies can get as loot boxes are a new way for them to make money. Since if a game company can get money from you to progress in the game they will do it. I feel that paying to progress is silly as it erases any point of playing in the first place.

Loot boxes, in my opinion, need to be banned for a variety of reasons. Mainly because it is an unnecessary mechanic that takes advantage of players. I also think that any game that you have to pay real cash for shouldn’t have them. The fact that many games (including major esports games like Fifa.)use this as a feature in their games is sad. Particularly when previously released games didn’t need to do this.

 

Sources

https://www.tai.org.au/sites/default/files/P860%20Risks%20to%20kids%20from%20video%20games%20%5BWeb%5D.pdf

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53253195

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52281573

https://medium.com/behavior-design/hooked-on-loot-boxes-how-design-gets-us-addicted-79c45faebc05

 

Image Source

https://pixabay.com/vectors/treasure-chest-box-treasure-chest-575386/

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