Making Complexity Measurable in Practice: A Formal Analysis of Gamble-Play media

Abstract

Over the past decade, videogames have become increasingly gambling-like in their design. Scientific and regulatory attempts to unravel such design seem particularly oriented towards the effects and regulatory treatment of paid-for loot boxes, favoring either measurability or complexity. Departing from gamble-play theory, this paper, therefore, attempts to make complexity measurable in practice. We conduct a formal analysis of 20 videogames that include loot boxes, social casino games, optional gambling-themed activities and token wagering by identifying and mapping interactions between their features. Having uncovered 51 features across 11 categories, we then reinterpret previously established notions of gambling. In doing so, we aim to contribute to a future-proof understanding of gambling in videogames.

How do video games affect mental health? A narrative review of 13 proposed mechanisms

“…Since then, the conversation has expanded beyond loot boxes, with concerns about other areas of gaming-gambling convergence (Denoo et al, 2023), predatory design such as misleading advertising (Petrovskaya and Zendle, 2021), and connections between risky in-game spending and disordered gaming (W. Li et al, 2019;Raneri et al, 2022).…”