The children’s commissioner for England has called for tighter laws around gambling and gaming to protect children worried about how much time and money they’re spending in online games – and has called on the Government to regulate loot boxes as gambling.
A report published today, titled Gaming the System, researched the effects of gaming on young people. It found that, while there are a number of positives with online gaming (particularly highlighting the social aspect), there are some serious concerns around peer-pressure, time and money spent gaming online.
The children interviewed in the study (aged between 10 and 16) recognised some of the issues with their gaming habits, including a 16 year-old FIFA player who specifically said loot boxes were like gambling: “you could lose your money and not get anyone good, or get someone really good.”
