Will purchasing Loot Boxes increase future gambling behavior? A Loot Box is a mystery bundle of virtual in-game prizes of unknown rarity to aid in a video game. You can purchase these with real money but are blind to their outcome. Prior research shows that earlier onset of adult gambling leads to more problematic gambling. Canadian researchers examined how young adults' involvement with Loot Boxes, might influence their likelihood of future gambling. Their study followed 200 non-gambling young adults (ages 18-26) who played video games over a period of 6 months. Results? Those who purchased Loot Boxes were much more likely to engage in gambling behaviors over time. The excitement of possibly winning a prize is a gamble—the randomness of the prizes is the hook that can lead to future gambling. Loot boxes are exposing young people at an early age to gambling just to play video games which in themselves are not a gamble. Fellow gamers and Parents! Be careful and understand the potential risks in habits formed by in-game gambling. Pay attention. Loot Boxes may be luring young people into gambling. Reference: Brooks, G., & Clark, L. (2022, October 24). The gamblers of the future? Migration from loot boxes to gambling in a longitudinal study of young adults. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/q35jm

Written by Jarret Bain B.S.