Study on In-Game Purchases and Gambling Behavior in Austrian Youth

High Spending at a Young Age

A study conducted by the University of Graz revealed that around 55% of children and teenagers in Austria have made in-game purchases, with some starting as young as under 12 years old. On average, these expenditures amounted to 1,022 euros per child.

Similarities to Gambling

The study also identified parallels between in-game purchases and gambling behavior. Researchers found that many young players exhibit a “Chasing” behavior, similar to gambling, where they seek to recover losses by chasing high wins. Loot boxes, classified as gambling in Austria, are often bought as rewards or consolation prizes in games.

Calls for Stricter Regulations

Researchers concluded that established gambling safeguards should be extended to in-game purchases. Implementing measures like transparent win probabilities, identification of problem players, and enforced breaks between purchases could help mitigate the negative impact of in-game spending. It remains to be seen whether these findings will drive regulatory changes regarding loot boxes in Austria, Norway, or the EU as a whole.