Between Gaming and Gambling: investigating children and young people's experiences and understandings of gambling style systems in digital games
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Arts and Cultures
Abstract
Gambling style systems in digital games, such as loot boxes, cards, micro-transactions and forms of currency used to purchase game specific content have become widely adopted in a range of digital games. These models of revenue generation can take many forms, from free to play smart phone games that encourage the purchase of additional digital content, to full price videogame console releases that utilise chance based cards or 'loot' paid for with real currency. These systems are highly profitable, with publishers such as Activision earning over $4 billion from this aspect of their games in 2017 alone (Makuch 2018). But, their success is predicated upon the use of techniques and mechanics borrowed from machine gambling to encourage repeated use of these systems. While gambling is a highly regulated activity in the UK that is restricted to adults over the age of 18, many of these games are actively marketed and sold to children and young people under 18. This is problematic and the Gambling Commission (2017) has recently pointed out that 25,000 children between 11 and 16 are problem gamblers, 'with many introduced to betting via computer games and social media'. These systems thus raise important questions about their design and regulation, especially if they act as a gateway to other forms of gambling such as online casinos or fixed odds betting terminals. Despite the widespread nature of gambling style systems in digital games, no academic work has explicitly:
1. Investigated how children and young people use these systems in their everyday lives and whether they create any problems or issues for these groups.
2. Investigated how parents and guardians understand and regulate their children's use of these systems.
To investigate these issues and fill this gap in knowledge the project researches three groups.
1. Digital reward system designers. Through interviews with 10 digital interface designers the project will identify the key mechanics and systems utilised in the games they have worked on and the aims of this design.
2. Children and young people who use gambling style systems in digital games. Through 100 hours of video ethnography across 40 families (equalling approximately 2.5 hours of footage per family), the project will investigate how children and young people use gambling style systems in digital games. In addition, 20 semi-structured interviews with children and young people will be conducted to understand how they use gambling style systems outside of the home, for example on mobile devices.
3. Parents of children and young people who use these systems. 20 interviews with parents will investigate how they understand these systems and whether they regulate their use of these systems and what form this regulation might take.
Through research with these groups, the project develops a theoretical model of gambling style systems in digital games that investigates whether the success of their underlying mechanics is fundamentally linked to the space-times where they are used. It then examines how children and young people use these systems in practice and how they make sense of them. Utilising this body of evidence, the study will then offer recommendations as to whether these systems should be regulated and what form this regulation could take.
1. Investigated how children and young people use these systems in their everyday lives and whether they create any problems or issues for these groups.
2. Investigated how parents and guardians understand and regulate their children's use of these systems.
To investigate these issues and fill this gap in knowledge the project researches three groups.
1. Digital reward system designers. Through interviews with 10 digital interface designers the project will identify the key mechanics and systems utilised in the games they have worked on and the aims of this design.
2. Children and young people who use gambling style systems in digital games. Through 100 hours of video ethnography across 40 families (equalling approximately 2.5 hours of footage per family), the project will investigate how children and young people use gambling style systems in digital games. In addition, 20 semi-structured interviews with children and young people will be conducted to understand how they use gambling style systems outside of the home, for example on mobile devices.
3. Parents of children and young people who use these systems. 20 interviews with parents will investigate how they understand these systems and whether they regulate their use of these systems and what form this regulation might take.
Through research with these groups, the project develops a theoretical model of gambling style systems in digital games that investigates whether the success of their underlying mechanics is fundamentally linked to the space-times where they are used. It then examines how children and young people use these systems in practice and how they make sense of them. Utilising this body of evidence, the study will then offer recommendations as to whether these systems should be regulated and what form this regulation could take.
Planned Impact
The project will directly benefit a range of organisations and groups by providing a theoretical model for discussing gambling style systems in digital games and empirical evidence about the effects of these systems on children and young people. Together, this body of work will provide the basis for producing recommendations regarding the potential regulation of these systems. Specifically these organisations and groups are:
1. Gambling charities that work on issues surrounding problem gambling. The project will work with the Young Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), GamCare and The Citizen's Advice Bureau (see letters of support). The findings from the research will be communicated to these charities in a number of ways. First, 5x1 day training sessions will be designed and given to the project partners by the PI and RA and then to other national gambling charities. The workshop will provide a way of disseminating findings from the project, presenting testimony from children and young people about these systems and offering practical recommendations around future regulation and how charities could campaign around this issue.
2. Children and young people. Children and young people within the research study, as well as nationally will benefit from the research through a free to play browser game developed in conjunction with a games design studio. The game will utilise the findings from the research to inform children and young people about the issues involved in gambling style systems in digital games in an experiential and non-patronising way. Specifically, it will allow them to explore the techniques involved in gambling style systems by engaging them in a series of micro games that spoof the most popular games that use these systems. The game will be launched at the final event of the project with our project partners and promoted digitally via our project partners websites and the PI and Co-I's university press offices.
3. Regulatory bodies such as the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE, developers of the digital game content rating system) and the UK Gambling Commission. To ensure the recommendations from the project reach the most appropriate target groups, a number of strategies will be employed. A recommendation report will be produced and sent to the UK Gambling Commission, ISFE and other relevant regulators working on gambling, children and digital game consumer issues. To increase the impact of the report 2x1 day workshops will be held for the UK Gambling Commission and ISFE. The workshop will set out a theoretical framework for understanding the diversity of gambling style systems to give these organisations a framework for regulation, emphasise the effects these systems can have on children, young people and families and provide recommendations as to whether these systems should be subject to regulation and if so what form this regulation could take. These organisations will also be invited to a final event for the project held in London, where we launch the game and project recommendations.
4. Parents of children and young people who use gambling style systems in digital games. Families who were part of the study, as well as families more broadly will benefit from the research. 5x1 day workshops for 15 parents each in Newcastle Upon Tyne will be held to educate and inform them about gambling style systems in digital games. These sessions will focus on demonstrating what these systems are, how they are designed to encourage players to spend money, and how parents can talk to their children about them. Nationally, parents will be informed about the findings of the research through the policy recommendation reports as well as press releases from Newcastle and Loughborough University to coincide with the launch of the game and the final summary event of the project.
1. Gambling charities that work on issues surrounding problem gambling. The project will work with the Young Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), GamCare and The Citizen's Advice Bureau (see letters of support). The findings from the research will be communicated to these charities in a number of ways. First, 5x1 day training sessions will be designed and given to the project partners by the PI and RA and then to other national gambling charities. The workshop will provide a way of disseminating findings from the project, presenting testimony from children and young people about these systems and offering practical recommendations around future regulation and how charities could campaign around this issue.
2. Children and young people. Children and young people within the research study, as well as nationally will benefit from the research through a free to play browser game developed in conjunction with a games design studio. The game will utilise the findings from the research to inform children and young people about the issues involved in gambling style systems in digital games in an experiential and non-patronising way. Specifically, it will allow them to explore the techniques involved in gambling style systems by engaging them in a series of micro games that spoof the most popular games that use these systems. The game will be launched at the final event of the project with our project partners and promoted digitally via our project partners websites and the PI and Co-I's university press offices.
3. Regulatory bodies such as the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE, developers of the digital game content rating system) and the UK Gambling Commission. To ensure the recommendations from the project reach the most appropriate target groups, a number of strategies will be employed. A recommendation report will be produced and sent to the UK Gambling Commission, ISFE and other relevant regulators working on gambling, children and digital game consumer issues. To increase the impact of the report 2x1 day workshops will be held for the UK Gambling Commission and ISFE. The workshop will set out a theoretical framework for understanding the diversity of gambling style systems to give these organisations a framework for regulation, emphasise the effects these systems can have on children, young people and families and provide recommendations as to whether these systems should be subject to regulation and if so what form this regulation could take. These organisations will also be invited to a final event for the project held in London, where we launch the game and project recommendations.
4. Parents of children and young people who use gambling style systems in digital games. Families who were part of the study, as well as families more broadly will benefit from the research. 5x1 day workshops for 15 parents each in Newcastle Upon Tyne will be held to educate and inform them about gambling style systems in digital games. These sessions will focus on demonstrating what these systems are, how they are designed to encourage players to spend money, and how parents can talk to their children about them. Nationally, parents will be informed about the findings of the research through the policy recommendation reports as well as press releases from Newcastle and Loughborough University to coincide with the launch of the game and the final summary event of the project.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| James Ash (Principal Investigator) | |
| Sarah Mills (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Ash J
(2022)
Geographies of the event? Rethinking time and power through digital interfaces
in cultural geographies
Mills S
(2023)
Children and Young People's Experiences and Understandings of Gambling-Style Systems in Digital Games: Loot Boxes, Popular Culture, and Changing Childhoods
in Annals of the American Association of Geographers
| Description | This research project has made a significant contribution to the knowledge and understanding of children and young people's lived experience of loot boxes and other in-game paid reward systems. There is almost no qualitative data on how children and young people actually engage with paid reward systems, and even less about how these practices take place within the space of the home. This research therefore provides a unique insight into how children and young people think about, experience, and use in-game chance-based mechanisms. It also supplements and deepens previous research on loot boxes which often focuses on either a) defining their formal mechanisms, or b) quantitative reporting and analysis on the numbers of players purchasing loot boxes or the amount spent by players. It is also important to note that whilst the original scope of the research was to investigate in-game chance-based mechanisms specifically, like loot boxes, it has been pertinent to look more broadly at paid rewards systems in their different forms (including chance-based mechanisms, virtual currencies, battle passes, and direct purchases) as well as investigating how these systems relate to the game itself and platform within which they are accessed (and how these come to bear on children and young people's purchasing decisions). There are two main reasons for this: a) they feature prominently in how children and young people talk about their experiences of gaming and in-game purchases, and b) the speed at which the gaming industry can innovate in this digital age of internet-connected gaming and how this might circumvent any measures or regulations put in place now to mitigate potential harms. This is significant - and strengthens the project's ability to influence government policy and regulation in this area in the future (by building on work already underway in this area). The findings we present here are based on over 100 hours of video ethnography, conducted over multiple visits to the homes of 42 families from the North East of England between August 2019 and February 2022. These visits were conducted in-person before the pandemic, then later via online video calls. Children and young people who took part were between the ages of 5 and 17. Children and young people showed us the games they like to play and talked about their experiences of gaming and in-game spending. The sessions focused on why children and young people value gaming and the items they purchase in games, what money they spend and how much, and what they think about paid reward systems in games. We observed and talked about a variety of games on smartphones, consoles, and PC, including Apex Legends, Brawl Stars, Call of Duty, Coin Master, Cookie Run: Kingdom, CS:GO, FIFA, For Honour, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Jurassic World Alive, Roblox, Rocket League, and WWE Supercard. The findings are also based on interviews with 16 parents and carers of children and young people who spend money in games and have purchased loot boxes (or similar). These interviews explored how parents view their child's gaming and in-game purchases, how they understand paid reward systems in games, and what would help them navigate these systems with their children. The research team has also carried out detailed analysis of paid reward systems that feature in a range of digital games. Interviews with 10 game designers and developers, which will give us an important understanding of how paid reward systems are designed and how player interaction is conceptualised, is currently underway. It is important to note that the project is not yet complete and parts of the fieldwork are still going. The project is on track to meet all award objectives. These are the key findings of the research so far: 1. In-game chance-based mechanisms, like loot boxes, can and do cause harm to children and young people, including forms of financial and emotional harm. This harm can take a number of forms, from overt forms of compulsive spending that causes financial stress, to more covert and subtle forms of emotional harm, where the random nature of loot boxes induce senses of shame, disappointment, and frustration. Such experiences were exacerbated by the fact that children and young people often have no understanding of how chance-based mechanisms actually work. Our research found they often did not understand the mathematics of probability or how poor the odds of receiving rare and desirable items actually are. 2. Children find it difficult to track their spending in games and fail to understand the value of money, creating inadequate conditions for making purchasing decisions. Many of the children and young people we spoke to found it difficult to remember how much money they had spent in-game, and they often underestimated the total amount spent. This often led to embarrassment or regret if it was possible to work out the actual amount spent. There is no standard way of tracking spending in a game or across platforms. We found that: a) In-game currency dissociates in-game transactions from their real monetary value. b) Games where earned currency and premium, paid-for currency can be exchanged for the same items can make it difficult to understand cost and track in-game spending for children and young people. c) Children and young people often buy in-game currency in small increments, especially if they are spending pocket money, which is the most expensive way to buy currency. 3. To reject chance-based mechanisms as a form of gambling because they do not meet the formal definition of 'money or money's worth' fails to recognise how digital items are actually valued by children and young people and how their forms of value drive repeat purchasing. Digital items, like those found within loot boxes and other chance-based mechanisms in games, are highly desirable and collectible to children and young people. This is because: a) They have significant social currency. b) They provide an in-game advantage. c) They have a desirable aesthetic quality and collectability. d) They can be rare items in a game. e) They can have high exchange value in a game. 4. Internet-connected games are enlivened by a range of temporal rhythms that shape purchasing decisions and manipulate spending patterns in children and young people. Spending decisions were often shaped by artificially-set time-limited offers, special events, and leaderboard and team challenges, prompting players to act now or miss out. Children and young people often did not have the capacity to recognise these patterns of manipulation and therefore make informed purchasing decisions. 5. Parents feel stuck in a vulnerable position, wanting to safeguard their children from potential harm when they spend in games, while tolerating their access to gaming because of the social benefits. Most parents thought chance-based mechanisms, like those driving loot boxes and card packs, were gambling. This was largely due to the behaviours they observed in their children, such as repeat and compulsive purchasing of loot boxes and the range of emotional responses this provoked (excitement, surprise, anger, regret). Despite this recognition, and their expressed concerns about the unknown effects on their children (for example, several parents were worried about the causal links between loot boxes and problematic gambling), they tolerate them as part of their child's gaming. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes have been of use to regulators, gambling charities and those working with children, young people and families on issues of gambling and gaming. In particular the outcomes have been taken forward in relation to educating people on gambling style systems in digital games and providing evidence that informs further debate around regulation in this area. E.g. workshops with YGAM and local schools (2022). E.g. cited in UK GOV response to DCMS Select Committee Report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies (page 3, point 8) (2020) and submission of evidence to DCMS call for evidence on 'Loot Boxes in Video Games' (2021) and Gambling Regulation (2023). |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | The project has already made a significant national impact: 1. Influence on government policy and regulation is ongoing. This has included the submission of written evidence to DCMS Addictive and Immersive Technologies Inquiry (2019) and DCMS Loot Box Inquiry (2020). We were also invited to participate in a roundtable event of experts at the House of Lords (December 2021), which gave us the opportunity to present key research findings to help influence policy and regulation. 2.. Working with the Gambling Commission, the research team reviewed and then directly influenced the change of wording of questions relating to loot boxes in the annual Young People and Gambling Survey 2019 (produced by Ipsos MORI). For example, one key area we identified was that the original wording of the questions were highly gendered, with the examples of loot boxes and corresponding games given those that are largely played by boys e.g. card packs in the football game FIFA. We were able to broaden the accompanying examples to include e.g. chests, that are found in a variety of games that appeal to different genders. 3. Working with the charity YGAM, the research has been used in the design of educational materials for YGAM's new Parents Hub, which is an online resource for parents/carers who want to know more about gaming, gambling, and its effects on children and young people. This is a national online resource and it received national press coverage e.g. BBC Radio 5 Live interview (2020). The research (specifically evidence of the lived experience of children and young people relating to the use of paid reward systems in games) has also been used in workshops produced and delivered by YGAM to parents/carers and practitioners. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Appointment to DCMS College of Experts |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/dcms-college-of-experts |
| Description | Cited in UK GOV response to DCMS Select Committee Report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies (page 3, point 8) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/8907... |
| Description | Faculty Impact Fund (FIF) Autumn 2021 |
| Amount | £4,466 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2022 |
| End | 06/2022 |
| Description | Data from project used to review and change questions in the annual Gambling Commission survey on young people and gambling 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Invited by The Gambling Commission to review questions for The Gambling Commission's 2021 annual study, produced by Ipsos MORI, examining trends in gambling participation among young people in England and Scotland. Using data from the project, several questions on loot boxes were amended and these questions were used in the final published version of the survey. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games held online - 22nd August 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games held at Marden High School (North Tyneside) - 24th June 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games Geek Retreat (Sunderland) - 12th August 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games held at Nettlesworth Primary School (County Durham) - 17th June 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games held at Geek Retreat (Sunderland) - 16th August 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Educational workshop with parents and guardians on gambling style systems in digital games held online 23rd August 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Evidence submitted to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee's inquiry, Gambling regulation. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Submitted 1200 word evidence report to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee's inquiry on Gambling regulation. The evidence drew upon the findings of our ESRC study on children and young people's experiences of gambling style systems in digital games and made recommendations regarding future digital gambling regulation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7170/ |
| Description | Featured in 'The House' magazine - parliamentary publication |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The project featured in an article for parliamentarians in the magazine 'The House'. It was entitled 'Loot boxes or pandora's boxes? Why paid for rewards in video games may be more sinister than they appear' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/loot-boxes-or-pandoras-boxes-why-paid-for-rewards-in-v... |
| Description | House of Lords roundtable event on loot boxes |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Rachel Gordon was invited to attend a House of Lords roundtable examining the impact of loot boxes in video games, particularly on young people. The event took place on 1st December 2021. This event was attended by a small group of people from across the campaigning sector, academia, industry, and people with lived experience of the issue. We were able to speak directly to the Lords about the research findings, focusing on the real experiences of children and young people. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2021/december-2021/house-of-lords-holds-roundtable-on-loot-b... |
| Description | Interview for BBC East Midlands Today 1st Dec 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Sarah Mills was interviewed about the project report and the risks associated with gambling style systems in digital games. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Interview for BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss the Parent Hub, a collaboration between the researchers and charity YGAM - 13 July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Rachel Gordon was invited to talk about the research on BBC Radio 5 Live during a discussion on loot boxes and whether they should be regulated. It gave us the opportunity to talk about the project findings so far and the issues around regulation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://t.co/gBb2GoYz1Y |
| Description | Interview for BBC Radio Leicester to discuss the Parent Hub - collaboration between the researchers and charity YGAM - 28th July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Sarah Mills was invited to discuss the launch of the Parent Hub, a collaboration between researchers and the charity YGAM. The interview focused on how to help parents understand in-game purchases, especially loot boxes, and safeguard children when they game. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08kmdkj |
| Description | Interview for national BBC Radio 4 programme Money Box |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Sarah Mills spoke on BBC Radio 4 Money Box about the issues created by gambling style systems in digital games. The report led to further inquiries about the research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001fvgs?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile |
| Description | Interview on BBC East Midlands Today (Regional TV News, Breakfast, 02/12/22) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC East Midlands Today (Regional TV News, Breakfast, 02/12/22) to discuss the project findings and recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Interview with BBC Radio Leicester and BBC Newcastle (Interview 30/11/22, plus news bulletins) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Dr James Ash and Dr Sarah Mills were interviewed for regional radio on the project findings and recommendations, following the release of the project report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Interview with Gem Radio (Interview clip within news bulletins, Regional Radio for Nottingham, Leicestershire and Derby, 01/12/22) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Gem Radio (Interview clip within news bulletins, Regional Radio for Nottingham, Leicestershire and Derby, 01/12/22) to discuss project findings and recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Invited Research Seminar (Loughborough University) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited research seminar 'Between Gaming and Gambling: Children, Young People and Paid Reward Systems in Digital Games'. Mills shared key findings from project and report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Invited Research Seminar (University of Birmingham) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Mills gave an invited research seminar on this project to the University of Birmingham's interdisciplinary research network on 'Children and Childhoods'. Specifically as part of their "2050 Childhoods" seminar series. This online seminar was mostly academics from the University of Birmingham but also some international academics attended (i.e. Singapore) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Invited blog post for YGAM entitled 'What do children and young people think about loot boxes?' - June 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We were invited by charity YGAM (Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust to write a blog post drawing on the research findings so far - specifically the real experiences of children and young people who buy and open loot boxes in digital games. The charity itself does not have such empirical material to draw on, and wanted to help parents/carers and others better understand why youngsters buy (and repeatedly buy) loot boxes. The blog post was shared on social media channels. It has led to the planning of future guest blogs for YGAM, to tie in with campaigns they are running on gaming and gambling. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.ygam.org/guest-blog-what-do-children-and-young-people-think-about-loot-boxes/ |
| Description | Invited talk for GamCare Women's Team and Education Team - April 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Rachel Gordon was invited to give a talk and take questions about the research for members of the Women's Team and Education Team at GamCare. 28 team members attended this talk. It took place over Zoom video call, given the restrictions relating to COVID-19. The team said they are keen to implement any recommendations from the research into their work, so a future dissemination activity with the team is planned. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Media interview for ITV Tyne Tees News - 20.5.2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Rachel Gordon was invited to talk about children's experiences of loot boxes in digital games for ITV regional news channels. The piece explored calls to regulate loot boxes in digital games and also heard from people with lived experience. The opportunity followed Dr Rachel Gordon's comment on a press release by Epic Risk Management, a consultancy specialising in gambling harm that undertook a survey of young people and the blurring between gaming and gambling. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Online news article 'Gaming and gambling in digital games, specifically purchase of loot boxes emerging as a child safety issue in UK' (Curriculum Magazine) - 27th July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | News article published about the launch of the YGAM Parent Hub; a result from the partnership between researchers and YGAM charity. The magazine is targeted at individuals involved in the education sector in India. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.curriculum-magazine.com/gaming-and-gambling-in-digital-games-specifically-around-the-purc... |
| Description | Report cited in Wall Street Journal article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Research report was cited in Wall Street Journal about the rise of virtual currencies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.wsj.com/articles/robux-kids-virtual-currency-metaverse-cryptocurrency-11669929636?mod=e2... |
| Description | Report in international website Eurogamer.net |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Eurogamer.net reported on the project report and its recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.eurogamer.net/uk-university-reports-loot-boxes-cause-financial-and-emotional-harm-to-chi... |
| Description | Report on About Manchester website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | About Manchester website reported on the project findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/children-and-young-people-are-at-risk-of-financial-and-emotional-harm-... |
| Description | Report on Australian Game Blog GamesHub |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Article on GamesHub detailing findings from the project report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.gameshub.com/news/news/loot-boxes-study-uk-university-report-age-restriction-35144/ |
| Description | Report on international website thegamer.com |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Thegamer.com website reported on the project report and findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.thegamer.com/3-year-study-children-loot-boxes-cause-financial-and-emotional-harm/ |
| Description | Report on national FROM blog |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Blog post suggesting children at risk from in-game purchases, using findings from the project report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://from.ncl.ac.uk/children-at-risk-from-in-game-purchases-new-report-finds |
| Description | Research reported in NME.com article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Project covered in article on NME.com, drawing upon the final research findings and project report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/loot-boxes-cause-financial-and-emotional-harm-to-children-33582... |
| Description | Research reported on Tarreo.com |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Research findings and project recommendations covered in article on Tarreo.com |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.tarreo.com/noticias/712488/Las-loot-boxes-o-cajas-de-botin-causan-dano-emocional-y-finan... |
| Description | Research reported on in Leicester Mercury |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Report on Leicestermecury website discussed project findings and recommendations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/what-loot-boxes-microtransactions-study-787751... |
| Description | Research subject of article on IGN India |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article on IGN India discussed the project findings and recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://in.ign.com/india/176936/news/loot-boxes-cause-financial-and-emotional-harm-to-children-accor... |
| Description | Submitted Evidence to DCMS 'Loot Boxes in Video Games' Call for Evidence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Submitted 2500 word response to Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 'Loot Boxes in Video Games' Call for Evidence 17th November 2020. The report used evidence from project data to outline harms of loot boxes and ways to potentially mitigate this harm through changes in regulation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | YGAM Parliamentary Reception, House of Commons |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Project asked to attend House of Common's Parliamentary Reception for the launch of YGAM's 2023 strategy. Shared final report with several organisations in third sector working on gambling/gaming, sparked questions and discussion. Connected with other researchers and organisations in the field. Notably, a GP whose clinical practice focused on gaming - they reported enhanced knowledge and understanding on loot boxes as result of conversation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ygam.org/speech-dr-jane-rigbye-ygam-parliamentary-reception-2023/ |