Lo
they might seem like fun to buy and open,
but are they dangerous?
♪ [tense]
♪ [upbeat]
♪ ♪
These days, it seems like every game has some type
of loot box, crates or packs for players to buy.
These crates give players the chance
to receive a random award.
It's usually something cosmetic or something
to help the player in the game.
♪ ♪
♪ [fanfare]
♪ Wa-wa-wa-waaaaa ♪
♪ ♪
They're random and fun, but they can also
be very expensive.
Some researchers even say they can be addictive.
♪ ♪
[swooshes]
♪ ♪
Yep, you heard me, some experts say, loot boxes are trouble.
They say, loot crates look and feel a lot like
a slot machine that you might see at a casino.
♪ [boom]
Wait, what are loot crates
kind of like a kid version of gambling?
♪ ♪
Let's find out.
♪ [video game sound effects]
I sat down with Dr. James Close,
he's a senior researcher who
just published a report on
the link between gambling and loot boxes.
So, Dr Close, some of your research shows that
a large number of children, like children are my age
or younger, have been opening and buying loot boxes.
What makes loot boxes so appealing to gamers?
Well, we did a lot of interviews with gamers.
We did a series of interviews with gamers
all over our country
and our work was focused on the UK.
So we interviewed gamers of all ages.
People weren't just buying them for any single reason.
They might be buying into gameplay advantages,
they might be buying them for the cosmetics.
But often there was this big social element to it.
So it was about having that kind of that great
player that you could then have the bragging rights,
a bit like having the great sneakers on
the playground where you could show off to your mates that
you had something really cool.
But there's also other another tranche of
motivation's which were possibly a little bit more
sinister and subtle and that there was a lot of
things nudging people towards buying finding boxes.
And part of that was that variable kind of element,
that it was exciting, the thrill, the fun of it.
And that then starts to become a little bit
gambling likeness in its element.
-Where is the line?
Like are people even concerned about video games
and that correlation to gambling?
First of all, yes.
Where's the line?
That's a really good question.
And there's been a huge amount of very complex legal
debate about this because, yeah, you're
right, they look and feel very much like gambling.
And in fact, they are structured
very much like gambling in many ways.
You buy something, you lay down a stake,
that's a variable kind of random bet.
And then you may or may not may or may not get a prize
you won out at the end.
-So I have a fact,
here, let me read it to you.
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has added
labelling that says in-game purchases
include random items.
So basically what that is, is beside your big blue
box that says you have a twenty five per cent higher
chance of getting the next coolest dragon sword.
There's a small little box that says whatever
is inside here includes is randomized.
The items inside this box are randomized.
Is that enough?
I would say not, not at all.
Do you-do you pay attention to the ESRB ratings?
Well, it is there,
so I do read it sometimes, but not necessarily.
It's not going to stop me buying the box.
Yeah, well, I mean I think very few people,
very few children, in particular, pay attention
to the ESRB ratings.
Even most parents don't pay
attention to them either.
So I don't think that's going to do enough at all.
I don't think I think they've largely ignored
and there's evidence they're largely ignored by
the majority of people.
So it's not going to change anyone's behaviour.
When they're putting on any news as story
it's important to show all sides.
That's why I reached out to two groups who don't
think it's fair to say that loop boxes
are like gambling.
They were the Entertainment Software Rating Board
and the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.
Neither of them got back to me.
What steps can be taken to prevent gambling in video
games from happening?
What could be done to stop it?
Well, I think there's a big-there's a big call
in this country, certainly, and I'm sure it
was certainly in America and probably Canada are
talking about it, as well as whether to regulate
loot boxes as gambling.
Just say, look, these are gambling,
they're very much like gambling,
the only difference is that you don't win money.
You just win an additional prize, which actually most
people prize and won.
So how is that how is that different to money?
So you could make it as gambling is the obvious step
that a lot of people are psyched to talk about.
♪ ♪
Well, it seems like the debate over loot boxes will
continue to happen.
While gamers in Canada can use loot boxes,
some countries have actually banned them, like Belgium.
So do you think it's a form of gambling or not?
♪ ♪
Do you think loot boxes should be banned in Canada too?
Let me know by messaging me at
Until the next "game on,"
I'm Elijah Sandiford.
Peace!
♪ ♪