Hosted by the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research.

Lunch included (served between 12:30 – 1:00pm) if attending in-person (spaces are limited): Register on Eventbrite

To attend the online version, 13.00 – 14.00, register here: https://bristol-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ggsC0CwiQoigl7B7IOCtzQ

There are growing concerns about the influence wielded by a small number of social media and gaming companies. With their always accessible apps and games, ‘constant scroll’ features, and a seemingly addictive quality, many of these technologies have been developed using psychological techniques copied straight out of the casino playbook. None more so than the gambling mechanics underpinning ‘loot boxes’: paid-for content in video games, where the digital prize – often replete with dazzling lights and music – is completely randomised. A growing body of evidence is establishing that loot boxes are one of the more pernicious forms of monetisation. This talk will present findings from a multiyear, multisite mixed-methods study funded by GambleAware. The findings unravel that loot box purchasing is driven by a complexity of demographic, psychological and gameplay features – and where, for some, the costs can spiral, often associated with other potentially harmful behaviours, such as problem gambling and problem video gaming. The UK government has recently decided to tackle loot boxes via industry self-regulation. In a lightning-fast industry –and one seemingly on the cusp of creating artificial worlds, metaverses and generalised artificial intelligences – the talk concludes by asking: can we close the lid on Pandora’s Loot Box?