New Online Platform Aims to Teach Parents About Loot Box Dangers
The Young Gamers and Gambling Education Trust (YGAM) in Britain, working with research groups from Newcastle University and Loughborough University, has unveiled a new online platform called “Parent Hub” to teach parents and guardians about the dangers of loot boxes.
This hub will offer materials, details, and activities to help safeguard children’s online security and is financed by Lottoland, GVC Holdings, and Playtech.
The hub aims to make clear why youngsters are attracted to purchasing loot boxes, explaining key reasons such as the element of surprise and cost associated with blind box items, and the thrill of winning uncommon items.
It will also supply research materials from Newcastle and Loughborough University researchers that outline the potential downsides of loot boxes, including the exposure of minors to gambling system mechanics and the emotional and financial losses that can occur from excessive spending.
In this research, investigators talked to numerous young individuals. One confessed to spending almost £500 on in-game rewards in mobile games, playing for as long as 7 hours daily.
The site offers guidance on utilizing parental controls and identifying potential warning signs, which will aid in preventing other children from encountering similar problems.
“For some youngsters, the act of opening the reward container is as significant as the contents,” explained Dr. James Ash, a researcher in Technology, Space and Society at Newcastle University, who led the investigation.
“The sensation of surprise and anticipation can lead to repeated purchases of these containers. However, this feeling is often short-lived.
“Children and young people informed us they felt disappointed, frustrated, angry, and remorseful about buying these containers, yet they were still compelled to purchase them again,” Ash explained. “It’s worrying that these mechanisms are intentionally designed – visual stimulation, random content, and the extremely low probability of opening a rare item – to encourage repeated purchases of these containers.”
Amanda Atkinson, Head of Parent Engagement at YGAM, added that the study would assist in developing its educational programs to better protect young individuals and vulnerable groups from gambling-related harm.
Certainly, the extensive selection of games and in-app purchases can present a challenge for guardians in maintaining safety measures, stated Atkinson. “Through our educational resources, we are dedicated to supplying parents with crucial information so they can recognize behavioral shifts and comprehend the influence these alterations can have on mental and financial well-being.”
YGAM is collaborating with GamCare to execute the UK’s groundbreaking national gambling education and prevention program. Backed by members of the Gambling Commission, this £10 million initiative will reach over 3 million young individuals, enhancing their awareness of the potential risks associated with gaming and wagering.
The project’s commencement arrives amidst heightened examination of loot boxes, with growing demands for their classification as age-restricted items. In June, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) initiated a request for evidence to better grasp the impact of loot boxes, with the ultimate goal of determining whether age ratings are required.
In June, YGAM’s Director of Operations, Kev Clealend, penned an article for iGB, outlining why the charity believes it is essential to limit loot boxes to those aged 18 and older.
This action follows appeals from the DCMS committee to regulate these products as a form of gambling, a move endorsed by the UK Children’s Commissioner.
Sign up for the iGaming newsletter.