Loot Boxes and Gambling: Similarities and Dissimilarities in Risk and Protective Factors.

Journal of Gambling Studies
Whitney DeCamp

Abstract

Politicians, health officials, and scholars have argued that loot boxes (virtual items that can be redeemed to receive randomly selected other virtual items) in video games function as a type of gambling, and research has shown that loot box purchasing is correlated with gambling behaviors. Whether loot box purchasing shares other characteristics with gambling such as risk and protective factors, however, has not been explored empirically. This study uses data from large, random samples of American youth to regress both gambling and loot box purchasing (as well as purchasing other downloadable content) on previously established risk and protective factors of gambling. Results suggest that, aside from gender differences, loot boxes share little in common with traditional forms of gambling. The data also indicate that youth gamers are less likely to have purchased loot boxes in comparison to previously estimated adult gamer prevalence rates.

References

Nov 9, 2001·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·N M Petry, Z Tawfik
Mar 11, 2004·Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors·Lia NowerRina Gupta
Dec 31, 2005·Journal of Gambling Studies·Maggie E Magoon, Gary M Ingersoll
Sep 14, 2006·Journal of Gambling Studies·Heather Chalmers, Teena Willoughby
Feb 1, 2007·Journal of Gambling Studies·Stephen EllenbogenRina Gupta
Mar 30, 2010·Journal of Gambling Studies·Jennifer L McComb, Catherine M Sabiston
May 27, 2011·Journal of Gambling Studies·Carla L StorrSilvia S Martins
Feb 23, 2012·Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors·Natacha BrunelleIsabelle Martin
Nov 28, 2013·Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors·Isabelle D LussierFrank Vitaro
Jan 21, 2014·Journal of Adolescence·Kirsty E Scholes-BalogJohn W Toumbourou
Jun 19, 2019·Nature Human Behaviour·Aaron Drummond, James D Sauer

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 28, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Ben J RileySharon Lawn
Jul 15, 2021·Current Addiction Reports·Kengo YokomitsuMasanori Tanaka

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.