Links between problem gambling and spending on booster packs in collectible card games: A conceptual replication of research on loot boxes

Loot boxes are digital containers of randomised rewards present in some video games which often purchasable for real world money. Recently, concerns have been raised that loot might approximate traditional gambling activities, and people with problems shown to spend more on than peers without problems. Some argue the regulation as gambling-like mechanics is inappropriate because similar activities also bear striking similarities forms gambling, such collectable card games, not subject regulations. Players collectible buy sealed physical packs cards, these ‘booster packs’ share many formal boxes. However, everything appears requires regulation. Here, a large sample game players (n = 726), we show no statistically significant link between real-world store spending booster problem (p 0.110, η 2 0.004), trivial magnitude relationship online stores 0.035, 0.008). Follow-up equivalence tests using TOST procedure rejected hypothesis either effects was practical importance (η > 0.04). Thus, although packs, like boxes, structural it they may be linked same way We discuss potential reasons differences. Decisions regarding features should made basis definitional criteria well whether purchase items at higher rate Our research suggests there currently little evidence support games.