Gambling or playing?

[mindrust]

I have a kid and I don't like it when he is playing games like GTA which are accessible thru Google Play. There is one time that I saw him being really brutal while playing it and I immediately take it off his phone.
The problem:
1. We don't know how the restrictions are set.
2. Some applications don't really put the real age requirement for their games.
Brutality, gambling, bad words or anything that may lead to addiction is not a good thing for new era kids. It affects them and I can see it with my kid although I did try keep him away from all of it.

For me, if it's gambling then stick with it. If its an MMORPG that offers in game gambling, I don't like the idea anymore, it ruins the fun. But that's just my own opinion.

You certainly have a point there, but I see it in a bit different way. I have kids too, and from my experience it's not only gambling inside a game is what might be dangerous, but many other things, like the case with GTA that you described, for instance. The thing is that we can't dictate to game producers what games to release, so the only option we have is to not leave our kids unsupervised for a long time while they are playing. Play together with your kids and give them the right understanding of what's going on in the game.

These bad stuff affects kids only when they are dumb. If you (or the school you sent your kids to) educate your kids well enough, they will see right through the garbage they are facing. The more they learn about math and life the better it is. Those neon lights look fascinating at first but in time you understand it is all an act to get your money.

[AicecreaME]

I have a kid and I don't like it when he is playing games like GTA which are accessible thru Google Play. There is one time that I saw him being really brutal while playing it and I immediately take it off his phone.
The problem:
1. We don't know how the restrictions are set.
2. Some applications don't really put the real age requirement for their games.
Brutality, gambling, bad words or anything that may lead to addiction is not a good thing for new era kids. It affects them and I can see it with my kid although I did try keep him away from all of it.

For me, if it's gambling then stick with it. If its an MMORPG that offers in game gambling, I don't like the idea anymore, it ruins the fun. But that's just my own opinion.

You certainly have a point there, but I see it in a bit different way. I have kids too, and from my experience it's not only gambling inside a game is what might be dangerous, but many other things, like the case with GTA that you described, for instance. The thing is that we can't dictate to game producers what games to release, so the only option we have is to not leave our kids unsupervised for a long time while they are playing. Play together with your kids and give them the right understanding of what's going on in the game.

I agree.

Since we don't have any control on the games that's being published in the internet, at least let us always supervised our child activity especially in gadgets and social media. I just want to add that not only in gambling or 18+ rated games your child could be in danger but also in games where they talk to other people all around the globe, my example for that would be Minecraft.

A news here in our country (Philippines) says that his child was talking someone in Minecraft, and luckily the parent (mother) heard it that the stranger was asking something on his child like to go on a certain address (if I remember it correctly) and when the strangers noticed that they are heard by the parent, they got disconnected.

[hahay]

I think the biggest risk isn't the games itself anymore but the big streamers on Twitch and YouTube. Almost all of the youngster these days spend a lot of time on these streaming platform, and if they see their favourite players to actually gamble online, they want to do the same. It is very hard to explain to kids these days that what they see on the Internet is not real. As parents there is no way to constantly supervise the kids and the line between gaming and gambling is disappearing.

Not only that, a streamer or those with influence are sometimes endorsed by gambling companies allowing anyone who is a fan of the channel to try it out. This will indeed be of great concern because we know that fans can come from many circles, including children. If those who have been able to sort and choose the best for themselves then of course it will be safe, but for those who are new and still have high enthusiasm for something new then of course it will be dangerous if there is no further guidance.

[KTChampions]

These bad stuff affects kids only when they are dumb. If you (or the school you sent your kids to) educate your kids well enough, they will see right through the garbage they are facing. The more they learn about math and life the better it is. Those neon lights look fascinating at first but in time you understand it is all an act to get your money.

By the way, since we started talking about the correct attitude to negative experiences, I can tell the story that happened to my daughter - once in the game she was deceived (the scammer took her expensive in-game items). It was a lot of tears and disappointment, but I can say that it was a good life lesson and I thought that it is better to be deceived in the game and understand that one must be careful than to be deceived in life (perhaps much more strongly).

[Mahanton]

In fact, this is a difficult question and I cannot say that a ban is a better solution. If you look at the situation from the developer's point of view, the reasons for the appearance of loot boxes are clear - they cannot introduce characters or things worth $ 1000 into the game for obvious reasons - a very small number of players can afford it. Therefore, they lower the entry threshold and make a $ 10 loot box with a 1 percent chance of getting a top character or item. In theory, this will equalize the chances of all players.

Depends on them because time would be the main issue on here here these dev/team arent really that patient enough on waiting for accumulating thousands of bucks for a long time
and to know that there are indeed rich kids or people who would really be buying out those loot boxes as long there is something worth in behind those.
Yes, lowering the price could give out equal chance and interest would even go higher but they've seen that more expensive one is really worth for their time and effort.
Playing computer games and other forms could really be attached to gambling depending on the integration and its been already in a while.

This is not a matter of time, but a matter of market width. A very small number of players are ready to spend thousands of dollars even for super items and characters, and at the same time, a huge number of players are ready to spend a small amount in their favorite game in order to get a chance for something very good. Loot boxes allow you to combine these two communities - the most massive share of players and the most expensive items in the game.

You are right on this one in terms of combining those two communities which is on point but overall there are lots of various ways on how those companies do really make out some money in
form of those kind of set-ups.

Players or common engagers isnt really that much of aware that they are simply doing gambling in the first place because putting up money into something for some expected
results would really be always considered.

This had been a typical thing and engagement will vary on each person.

[South Park]

In fact, this is a difficult question and I cannot say that a ban is a better solution. If you look at the situation from the developer's point of view, the reasons for the appearance of loot boxes are clear - they cannot introduce characters or things worth $ 1000 into the game for obvious reasons - a very small number of players can afford it. Therefore, they lower the entry threshold and make a $ 10 loot box with a 1 percent chance of getting a top character or item. In theory, this will equalize the chances of all players.

Depends on them because time would be the main issue on here here these dev/team arent really that patient enough on waiting for accumulating thousands of bucks for a long time
and to know that there are indeed rich kids or people who would really be buying out those loot boxes as long there is something worth in behind those.
Yes, lowering the price could give out equal chance and interest would even go higher but they've seen that more expensive one is really worth for their time and effort.
Playing computer games and other forms could really be attached to gambling depending on the integration and its been already in a while.

This is not a matter of time, but a matter of market width. A very small number of players are ready to spend thousands of dollars even for super items and characters, and at the same time, a huge number of players are ready to spend a small amount in their favorite game in order to get a chance for something very good. Loot boxes allow you to combine these two communities - the most massive share of players and the most expensive items in the game.

I understand your point but then if that is the case then those games should be regulated as any other casino and have to pay taxes like one for each one of those transactions and they will have to device a system so those that are underage cannot buy those loot boxes, it is a huge deal of regulations I know, but it is the only way this can be fair as casinos have to do this already and it is still a profitable industry, so the video game industry will have to do the same if they want to offer such products.

[KTChampions]

This is not a matter of time, but a matter of market width. A very small number of players are ready to spend thousands of dollars even for super items and characters, and at the same time, a huge number of players are ready to spend a small amount in their favorite game in order to get a chance for something very good. Loot boxes allow you to combine these two communities - the most massive share of players and the most expensive items in the game.

I understand your point but then if that is the case then those games should be regulated as any other casino and have to pay taxes like one for each one of those transactions and they will have to device a system so those that are underage cannot buy those loot boxes, it is a huge deal of regulations I know, but it is the only way this can be fair as casinos have to do this already and it is still a profitable industry, so the video game industry will have to do the same if they want to offer such products.

Any game publisher pays taxes so there is no problem with that. As for loot boxes, as far as I know, the most common way to bypass the restrictions imposed by regulators is as follows: there is a guaranteed prize in a loot box and the player buys it, and that legendary prize that everyone really wants goes as a free bonus.

[Betwrong]

~

These bad stuff affects kids only when they are dumb. If you (or the school you sent your kids to) educate your kids well enough, they will see right through the garbage they are facing. The more they learn about math and life the better it is. Those neon lights look fascinating at first but in time you understand it is all an act to get your money.

I don't know if you have kids, but trust me, it's not that simple. They could be going to the best school in the world with the best teachers possible, and yet be ignoring all that and listening to some "guru" on YouTube whom they adore at the moment. And if you'll try to forbid them, you'll only make things worse ... All of us are dumb at some point, that's life, there's no such thing as always dumb or always smart people. ... But I agree with you regarding learning math. This process makes kids smarter in various fields somehow.

So, back to "gambling or playing", I guess. If you don't want your kids were exposed to gambling in early age, I have bad news for you: that isn't a possibility. But it's not like the end of the world, you just have to bear that in mind and act accordingly.

[South Park]

This is not a matter of time, but a matter of market width. A very small number of players are ready to spend thousands of dollars even for super items and characters, and at the same time, a huge number of players are ready to spend a small amount in their favorite game in order to get a chance for something very good. Loot boxes allow you to combine these two communities - the most massive share of players and the most expensive items in the game.

I understand your point but then if that is the case then those games should be regulated as any other casino and have to pay taxes like one for each one of those transactions and they will have to device a system so those that are underage cannot buy those loot boxes, it is a huge deal of regulations I know, but it is the only way this can be fair as casinos have to do this already and it is still a profitable industry, so the video game industry will have to do the same if they want to offer such products.

Any game publisher pays taxes so there is no problem with that. As for loot boxes, as far as I know, the most common way to bypass the restrictions imposed by regulators is as follows: there is a guaranteed prize in a loot box and the player buys it, and that legendary prize that everyone really wants goes as a free bonus.

Thanks for the info, I will admit that I do no really play a lot of video games and I make an effort to avoid games that try to sell me their stuff 100 times instead of selling me the complete video game from the get go, those are some really dirty tactics they are using in order to try to avoid those regulations and I do not know for how long this can be tolerated as there are people spending a fortune in a video game and they have nothing to show for it except a few more bits of information on their games.

[l3pox]

This is not a matter of time, but a matter of market width. A very small number of players are ready to spend thousands of dollars even for super items and characters, and at the same time, a huge number of players are ready to spend a small amount in their favorite game in order to get a chance for something very good. Loot boxes allow you to combine these two communities - the most massive share of players and the most expensive items in the game.

I understand your point but then if that is the case then those games should be regulated as any other casino and have to pay taxes like one for each one of those transactions and they will have to device a system so those that are underage cannot buy those loot boxes, it is a huge deal of regulations I know, but it is the only way this can be fair as casinos have to do this already and it is still a profitable industry, so the video game industry will have to do the same if they want to offer such products.

Any game publisher pays taxes so there is no problem with that. As for loot boxes, as far as I know, the most common way to bypass the restrictions imposed by regulators is as follows: there is a guaranteed prize in a loot box and the player buys it, and that legendary prize that everyone really wants goes as a free bonus.

Thanks for the info, I will admit that I do no really play a lot of video games and I make an effort to avoid games that try to sell me their stuff 100 times instead of selling me the complete video game from the get go, those are some really dirty tactics they are using in order to try to avoid those regulations and I do not know for how long this can be tolerated as there are people spending a fortune in a video game and they have nothing to show for it except a few more bits of information on their games.

many games (and other things specially in web 2.0) use these tatics, cognitive biases and ways to catch us by the emotion to be able to profit more
definitely something to keep eyes open about and don't forget

even with gambling

controlling time and bankroll is really important

[robelneo]

I think the biggest risk isn't the games itself anymore but the big streamers on Twitch and YouTube. Almost all of the youngster these days spend a lot of time on these streaming platform, and if they see their favourite players to actually gamble online, they want to do the same. It is very hard to explain to kids these days that what they see on the Internet is not real. As parents there is no way to constantly supervise the kids and the line between gaming and gambling is disappearing.

Even if it's hard to keep up on what these kids are watching we should still keep, check the history of what they are surfing, and if you have a good anti-virus that can block certain sites, then block all these sites that you think can harm your children, we don't want our kids exposed to gambling at a very young age, this is too risky and we will regret later if the kids gets hooked on gambling at a very young age.

[tippytoes]

I think the biggest risk isn't the games itself anymore but the big streamers on Twitch and YouTube. Almost all of the youngster these days spend a lot of time on these streaming platform, and if they see their favourite players to actually gamble online, they want to do the same. It is very hard to explain to kids these days that what they see on the Internet is not real. As parents there is no way to constantly supervise the kids and the line between gaming and gambling is disappearing.

Even if it's hard to keep up on what these kids are watching we should still keep, check the history of what they are surfing, and if you have a good anti-virus that can block certain sites, then block all these sites that you think can harm your children, we don't want our kids exposed to gambling at a very young age, this is too risky and we will regret later if the kids gets hooked on gambling at a very young age.

I do agree, if you can block certain sites that would be great. Because these days, youngsters can easily be influenced by social media or their peers. If you can't track their activities, better also to instill on them about the significance of money and how gambling may affect their lifestyle in the future. You need to lay out the consequences involved once they venture into this industry. They need to understand the risks involved.

[l3pox]

I think the biggest risk isn't the games itself anymore but the big streamers on Twitch and YouTube. Almost all of the youngster these days spend a lot of time on these streaming platform, and if they see their favourite players to actually gamble online, they want to do the same. It is very hard to explain to kids these days that what they see on the Internet is not real. As parents there is no way to constantly supervise the kids and the line between gaming and gambling is disappearing.

Even if it's hard to keep up on what these kids are watching we should still keep, check the history of what they are surfing, and if you have a good anti-virus that can block certain sites, then block all these sites that you think can harm your children, we don't want our kids exposed to gambling at a very young age, this is too risky and we will regret later if the kids gets hooked on gambling at a very young age.

I do agree, if you can block certain sites that would be great. Because these days, youngsters can easily be influenced by social media or their peers. If you can't track their activities, better also to instill on them about the significance of money and how gambling may affect their lifestyle in the future. You need to lay out the consequences involved once they venture into this industry. They need to understand the risks involved.

many executives on silicon valley that work and build these businesses don't let their children use social media and sometimes even any screen/internet at all until certain age like 12 years old
may sound radical for some but its possible a way to go.

[YOSHIE]

What type of effect may this game on underaged players?

I think there are different points of view in online games as a whole, online games can have positive effects, if minors do not play excessively.

Of course what's in the game play as we know there are positive and negative elements, that happens if judging from one point of view or from one side, online games look bad/negative, but from a positive point of view in online games, of course there are, for example: children can be entertained by activities in the games they play, can also stimulate children's brain activity and sportsmanship, so not all online games can have an impact on the bad, some have an impact on the good of the child himself, on condition that control and not overdo it.

[qwertyup23]

What type of effect may this game on underaged players?

I think there are different points of view in online games as a whole, online games can have positive effects, if minors do not play excessively.

Of course what's in the game play as we know there are positive and negative elements, that happens if judging from one point of view or from one side, online games look bad/negative, but from a positive point of view in online games, of course there are, for example: children can be entertained by activities in the games they play, can also stimulate children's brain activity and sportsmanship, so not all online games can have an impact on the bad, some have an impact on the good of the child himself, on condition that control and not overdo it.

I think the general rule is that, anything that is too much is detrimental and bad- this also applies to gambling and playing in general.

For underaged player, playing online games have its own share of positive effects on the individual. Like what YOSHIE mentioned, it stimulates the brain function of the player which improves their concentration ability, their focus, and their reflexes. But anything that is beyond the time limit imposed upon these children can be detrimental to their health.

Like in gambling, you can gamble away your resources but you should know when and how to stop. Without any self-control and discipline, this would lead to negative effects that would be very costly in the future.

[l3pox]

What type of effect may this game on underaged players?

I think there are different points of view in online games as a whole, online games can have positive effects, if minors do not play excessively.

Of course what's in the game play as we know there are positive and negative elements, that happens if judging from one point of view or from one side, online games look bad/negative, but from a positive point of view in online games, of course there are, for example: children can be entertained by activities in the games they play, can also stimulate children's brain activity and sportsmanship, so not all online games can have an impact on the bad, some have an impact on the good of the child himself, on condition that control and not overdo it.

yes, time of activity plays a role too
have you heard that the difference between the medicine and the poison is the dose?
this applies here

a bit of videogames can be good for exercising creativity, improving perception and visual acuity
too much? dopamine addiction, making all other activities seem not fun anymore

[Woodie]

There is currently quite an effort on using these techniques in games that should not be about gambling or chances playing and some people may find undesirable. Is this going too far?

I would find it undesirable but I think these addons are deliberately put in there to try make extra sales from players that find them entertaining. It would be an issue if such were a must play but these are optional games most of the time.

What type of effect may this game on underaged players?

I think for most games with such kind of extras have age ratings as high as 18+, which protects the gaming studio . Players playing these kind of games are expected to make the right decisions whether to continue playing  or quit the game should they find something unappealing.

[Alisha-k]

well you may be converting them to be a gamber if it interest the gamer. most gamers have budget. if it works then maybe the KYC is needed. kids often play thise video games.

It's up to the gamer and the approach or motive behind the video games if it's strictly for fun then it remains a game but if it involves staking then gambling is involved. Kids shouldn't be involved in the gambling part of this video games but sometimes they may be tempted to gamble as well that's where close monitoring from parents and loved ones is needed

[blockman]

It can teach the young players to gamble. If that's sort of an in-game NPC and place, those kids will gamble at their will as part of being curious. That's the side effect of having a game with a gambling game inside and you'll never know what will be the implication of it. They can bring that gambling experience even if it's just inside a game into the outside and real world until they grow up and the rest would be history. That's the side effect that I can see and for sure that I'm not the only one that's concerned with the young ones who will be introduced to gambling by that way.

[Fredomago]

It can teach the young players to gamble. If that's sort of an in-game NPC and place, those kids will gamble at their will as part of being curious. That's the side effect of having a game with a gambling game inside and you'll never know what will be the implication of it. They can bring that gambling experience even if it's just inside a game into the outside and real world until they grow up and the rest would be history. That's the side effect that I can see and for sure that I'm not the only one that's concerned with the young ones who will be introduced to gambling by that way.

Preventing those young child to take part with this kind of games, you never know what would be the impact once they learned this kind of activities, at first it's just curiosity until they reached the peak and realize that they wanted to excel.

Young mindsets are very explorer they wanted to know deeper and for sure they will engaged to much especially if they find pleasures.

As much as possible better to keep your eye with how young child acts inside your premises, better to act immediately than to find things late and the problem is already deep.