It is not surprising that video games can lead to addiction, but a researcher at BC recently linked the game’s loot box to problem gambling. 우리카지노탑 The issue was raised by Luke Clark, director of the British Columbia University Gambling Research Center, who was a panelist in this year’s edition of the British Columbia Lottery Company’s New Horizons conference.
Loot boxes aren’t the new mechanics of video games because they’ve been part of the industry for more than a decade now, but they’re becoming increasingly popular among leading games. Their concept is a random prize generator that players in the game can win by accumulating enough points or purchasing at a certain price.
On a panel of New Horizons, Mr. Clark published a new study linking video game loot boxes to problem gambling. He explained that the boxes randomly award prizes and that players do not know what they are getting. The machine is similar to one of the slot machines and in some cases, players can sell virtual items for real money.
He also noted that there had been previous concerns about whether loot boxes were in fact a form of gambling camouflage. Experts said that if a form of gambling is constructed that children can access, there should be discussion about regulating it. He added that more attention is needed within game design to make games safer in terms of consumption.
According to experts, those most likely to become addicted to games share several common traits with potential problem gamblers. Mostly, they tend to be young men, and this phenomenon is also seen in sports betting. The only regulatory website for problem gambling in BCLC is BCLC’s PlayNow, but many still rely on illegal online portals.
Marie-Noelle Savoie, BCLC’s vice president of legal compliance and security, said the Crown Company has seen that the demographics of problematic sports betting players have significantly different issues from those of general problem gamblers. She said experts also monitor sports gambling behavior, but this is an issue worth investigating.
BCLC is a major proponent of responsible yet fun gambling entertainment. Over the years, the Crown Agency has undertaken a number of initiatives to limit the possibility of problem gambling. During last year’s Christmas holiday, it reminded parents and adults from BC not to present lottery tickets to their children. This is because children’s early exposure to gambling can cause problems in the future.
Meanwhile, in January 2023, BCLC made some changes to its game-breaker self-exclude program, making it more accessible to bettors. The new version will allow those who choose to enlist to better support bettors with more accessible names and to support participants who want to return to gambling.