Pandora’s Loot Box: Gambling, Videogames and Predatory Monetisation 

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Abstract: 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? 

Speaker: James Close is a Lecturer at the University of Plymouth. His research has spanned biomedical, health and psychological sciences. With a keen interest in both videogames and games of chance, his current research interests include how psychological heuristics and biases are exploited for monetisation by gaming, gambling and social media companies, and the subsequent impacts on individuals and society.  

Lunch will be provided 

This event will held as an in-person event and online.