Are lootboxes gambling & should games be regulated. BF2 and OW under investigation

[Jtbrig7390]

I get that youTubers want to cash in on the controversy and fans want to promote them, but can no-one leave a summary instead of just spamming videos for those of us who don't want to sit through all the waffle?

Sorry I don't do TLDW's for videos that is under 10mins long.

(Not saying ur post was directed at the video I posted).

[Dhrizzle]

Sorry I don't do TLDW's for videos that is under 10mins long.

(Not saying ur post was directed at the video I posted).

Not just your video but the previous page has 40 minutes of stuff to watch and it seems like they all start with "hilarious" banter or edgy nihilism. It doesn't help that I've recently moved and don't have proper internet yet so I'm having to use my mobile and can't easily have the videos in the background waiting for them to get to the point.

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If a kid buys $13k worth of candy, eats it all and dies. Whose fault is this?
Is it the store that sold the candy?
Is it the candy factory that produced them?
Is it the delivery company that delivered them to the store from the factory?
Is it the parents?
Is it the candy?
Is it the kid?
Is it the money?
Is it the credit card?
Is it the bank who issued the credit card?
Is it the candy industry as a whole for being greedy candy-dealers, who created these addictive tasty sugary delights that have a similar effect as heroin?
Is it the government for not regulating the candy industry enough?
Is it the absence of labels on each candy stating "Warning! Eating candy without moderation will kill you!"?

Hint is in the bold.

Should we blame the government, or blame society?
Or should we blame the images on TV?
NO!
Blame Canada! Blame Canada!

[Jtbrig7390]

Not just your video but the previous page has 40 minutes of stuff to watch and it seems like they all start with "hilarious" banter or edgy nihilism. It doesn't help that I've recently moved and don't have proper internet yet so I'm having to use my mobile and can't easily have the videos in the background waiting for them to get to the point.

Oh I can understand that.

the biggest part of my video is that the Hawaii governor wants to pass a law where games with lootbox's are age gated to 21(Due to being gambling). If you may not know any game labled 21+ is given a A rating and is a death sentence most of the time for the game.

No stores will sell it and you will have to sell it yourself. There is only one game on steam with a A rating but that's a whole different story on why its there.

He also pointed out that the ESRB is only in it for themselves and big game company's. There is a document you can download fill out and send to ur states governor that they wrote up to try to get a law passed in your state. (If you are in the US).

That's the skinny of my video if u can't watch it.

[Dhrizzle]

Oh I can understand that.

the biggest part of my video is that the Hawaii governor wants to pass a law where games with lootbox's are age gated to 21(Due to being gambling). If you may not know any game labled 21+ is given a A rating and is a death sentence most of the time for the game.

No stores will sell it and you will have to sell it yourself. There is only one game on steam with a A rating but that's a whole different story on why its there.

He also pointed out that the ESRB is only in it for themselves and big game company's. There is a document you can download fill out and send to ur states governor that they wrote up to try to get a law passed in your state. (If you are in the US).

That's the skinny of my video if u can't watch it.

Ah thanks for that. The thing about the ESRB (and PEGI here in Europe) is it best interests should include keeping consumer and government confidence high in a self-education industry. That's why the PEGI council includes members independent of the gaming industry such as child psychologists. Personally I'm wary of inviting governments to legislate video game content, especially when I haven't seen any scientific evidence that show's loot-boxes being any more harmful than trading-card games or blind-bag collectibles.

And I'm not saying that everything is hunky-dory with loot-boxes, and if nothing else the marketing of some examples definitely should be scrutinised (in p2win examples, especially ones that also have a box-price, yes I'm looking at you EA,) but I'm old enough to be cynical of people asking lawmakers to protect the poor innocent children from evil corrupting video games.

[stellvia]

Not that parents shouldn't talk with their kids, but one doesn't normally expect to have to be mindful of potential addiction and gambling with a T for Teen video game, especially a Star Wars one. Also: You can't expect kids to be mentally prepared to fend off the addiction-peddling these AAA companies are doing now. They won't understand and this is new territory for parents.

Just look at the latest job posting for Bungie: They're hiring a senior developer whose fulltime job it will be to brainstorm ways to peddle "monetization" schemes in their games.

[Dhrizzle]

Not that parents shouldn't talk with their kids, but one doesn't normally expect to have to be mindful of potential addiction and gambling with a T for Teen video game, especially a Star Wars one. Also: You can't expect kids to be mentally prepared to fend off the addiction-peddling these AAA companies are doing now. They won't understand and this is new territory for parents.

Just look at the latest job posting for Bungie: They're hiring a senior developer whose fulltime job it will be to brainstorm ways to peddle "monetization" schemes in their games.

It's not really that new a territory - https://mobile.nytimes.com/1999/09/2....html?referer=

The kids who got "addicted to gambling" through Pokémon cards are probably becoming parents now so they should know of the dangers (or not) of letting kids throw money away on these "lotteries."

[Lord Pebbleton]

It depends on one thing: did you previously pay for the game?
If you didn't, lootboxes are an interesting way to risk your in-game currency and see if you get anything good out of it.
If you did, lootboxes are an illness upon the gaming community and should be eradicated.

[kail]

(Some updates are in the video)

To any politican trying to pass such a bill, GL with that.

[Keile]

So, after spending nearly a solid 60+ hours training on Gambling Addiction and the like (which is very likely more than anyone else here can claim on the subject matter in question) my conclusion has changed a bit. Previously I said a solid: yes they are gambling. But now, after listening to countless experts on the subject....my opinion has changed slightly.

I believe the actual answer is: Yes and No. Let me explain a bit:

Legally, they are not gambling as there is no monetary reward and you are technically always guaranteed some sort of payout (even if it is an ingame currency due to receiving a duplicate item). So technically there you could say "No, it is not gambling. End of discussion" and for your average person that may be fine and true. BUT to someone who already is a high risk for becoming, or is a current/recovering, Gambling Addict they most certainly may be. To these people many things that are neither legally or socially considered to be gambling...actually are. For example: You walk into a store and they hand you a flyer. Unbeknownst to you, that flyer has a number on it that is part of a raffle. They pull the number and you win. You didn't actively gamble, you didn't even know you were entered (or you maybe even caught it and when trying to tell them you didn't wish to play encountered resistance such as "oh, no worries you don't have to pay anything!" or "it's okay we handle everything, it's automatic!") but to a person who is a Gambling Addict it may still count and could trigger a relapse leading into a more severe consequence (going back to the Casino). If said addict is a member of GA they would most certainly be told by their peers there that they gambled and fell off the wagon, their councilor however may say otherwise.

In the case of something operating in the gray area, such as Loot Boxes - It goes by a person to person basis and it is up to that particular individual to decide.

Now does this mean I am okay with Loot Boxes? NO. But my reasoning is now less the fact they are potentially gambling and sway more towards: I paid full price already, stop trying to lock shit behind these boxes.

[Elim Garak]

Oh wow. Lootboxes are now gateway to gambling. Sounds familiar to anyone?

[Yunru]

I totaly missed the Beshidia big fuck you to ea.

[SirBeef]

Not that parents shouldn't talk with their kids, but one doesn't normally expect to have to be mindful of potential addiction and gambling with a T for Teen video game, especially a Star Wars one. Also: You can't expect kids to be mentally prepared to fend off the addiction-peddling these AAA companies are doing now. They won't understand and this is new territory for parents.

Just look at the latest job posting for Bungie: They're hiring a senior developer whose fulltime job it will be to brainstorm ways to peddle "monetization" schemes in their games.

As a parent, I would never allow my kid to buy MTs for any game.

[stellvia]

As a parent, I would never allow my kid to buy MTs for any game.

Unfortunately there are a lot of negligent parents out there. I do delivery work and get a peek of the living room of hundreds or thousands of families over the years and seen a lot of stuff I mentally shook my head at. IE: 6 year old playing GTA, shooting a pedestrian and getting into a giant gun fight with police and swearing at them while doing it.

[Pony Soldier]

Of course it's gambling. With it being RNG based and it requiring you to spend money on it it's exactly like gambling. What are you doing in gambling? You're putting money down in hoping that you get what you want. Isn't that what's going on here? Oh but they'll say "you're still getting in-game content though". It's still fucking gambling because people are buying these packs with a certain item(s) in mind and they're not guaranteed to get it. You're basically rolling digital dice.

[Dhrizzle]

The UK Gambling Commission has published a study on childhood gambling - https://www.theguardian.com/society/...amblers-report

On the video game side of things they seem to focus on 3rd party sites, games like CS:GO that allow "skin betting" and Facebook/mobile apps that simulate gambling equipment such as fruit machines. Not sure if this means they'll look back into games like Overwatch and SW:Battlefront or focus on companies like Valve that facilitate real-money transfers (the feature that distinguished loot-boxes from gambling in the commissions previous report.)

[Yunru]

So the star wars movie should be out now. Lets see how it will go in sale this week.

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[Dhrizzle]

New Zealand has decided that video game lootboxes are not gambling for pretty much the same reason the UK did (you're unable to win money or items readily converted to money.) Is anyone keeping score?

[Yunru]

New Zealand has decided that video game lootboxes are not gambling for pretty much the same reason the UK did (you're unable to win money or items readily converted to money.) Is anyone keeping score?

There are some games that you can actuly trade them off for money. Like the CS.GO not so long ago.

[Keile]

There are some games that you can actuly trade them off for money. Like the CS.GO not so long ago.

Actually, the gambling addiction center I work at has had several CS:GO related calls in the past where people just couldn't stop using those skin gambling sites.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Imho RNG reward mechanisms should automatically bump up that ESRB/PEGI or what ever rating to "only for adults", especially when real money transfers are involved. They heavily pray on the addictive nature of people and kids are not immune to that either. If you are an adult you can decide if you want your lootbox fix but getting kids hooked up on skin betting and the like is just fucked up. The cash out requirement is just thanks to the cowardice of most law makers and does not reflect the actual addictive nature of gambling.

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So the star wars movie should be out now. Lets see how it will go in sale this week.

With alot of people not being crazy about the movie either, EA might actually be in trouble for real this time .