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Video game loot boxes are psychologically akin to gambling

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Video games are increasingly exposing young players to randomized in-game reward mechanisms, purchasable for real money — so-called loot boxes. Do loot boxes constitute a form of gambling?

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

    Aaron Drummond

  2. International Media Psychology Laboratory, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

    Aaron Drummond & James D. Sauer

  3. Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

    James D. Sauer

Authors
  1. Aaron Drummond
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  2. James D. Sauer
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Correspondence to Aaron Drummond.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Drummond, A., Sauer, J.D. Video game loot boxes are psychologically akin to gambling. Nat Hum Behav 2, 530–532 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0360-1

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