‘No way out’: how video games use tricks from gambling to attract big spenders
Controversy over tactics used by some firms to target players who are on track to spend high sums
Hasnain says:
"An early win is a well-documented technique known among gambling researchers and clinicians as a catalyst for addictive play, because it creates an early dopamine hit that gamblers are then eager to recreate, even as their subsequent losses mount.
A gambling operator that orchestrated this outcome would probably lose their licence to operate in Britain but there is no clear disincentive for gaming firms.
Gambling tends to spur much greater ethical concern and regulatory scrutiny, yet overlap – in practice and even game design – is becoming increasingly evident."
Posted on 2023-09-19T06:07:10+0000