Study reveals concern over loot box prospect disclosure transparency in video games

A recent study has highlighted the issue of loot boxes in video games, raising concerns about their resemblance to gambling and the lack of transparency surrounding them. Loot boxes are virtual items that players can purchase in-game, providing random prizes of varying value. Studies suggest that this feature may have psychological parallels to gambling.

While disclosure of the possibilities of receiving random loot box prizes is mandated by law in China, other countries (including the US) rely on self-regulation within the gaming industry. However, the study highlights that self-regulation may conflict with commercial interests and may not be sufficient to ensure consumer protection.

In the UK, the study found that loot boxes were prevalent in about 77% of the highest-grossing iPhone games in mid-2021. The compliance rate with industry self-regulation of probability disclosure was 64.0%, which is much lower than the 95.6% rate observed in China.

Furthermore, the study found that UK sport often provided insufficiently prominent and difficult-to-access disclosures within games and on official sport websites. Only 21.3% of UK sports disclosed odds on their official websites, compared to 72.5% in China. In terms of in-game disclosure, only 1.3% of UK games automatically displayed probabilities on the purchase page, which is considered the most effective disclosure format.

Based on these findings, the study suggests that policy makers should consider more accountable forms of industry self-regulation or the imposition of direct legal regulations to ensure the protection of consumers who engage in video game loot. attached to the box. Study ready to be published one moreAnd the pre-print version of the paper is available online.