Loot boxes
What is Risk ?
Digital risk factors associated with their interests and activities
Loot boxes look different depending on the game. For example, they might shown as be:
- a crate
- a card pack
- an egg
- a treasure chest
They might contain:
- a new character
- a cosmetic feature, like a skin
- an in-game advantage, like a weapon
- cards for online trading games
Most loot box prizes are hidden until they are opened. This creates a high level of chance.
Loot boxes are often popularised and promoted by vloggers and live-streamers, who show themselves successfully opening large amounts of loot boxes. These are known as unboxing videos.
Loot boxes have been likened to a form of gambling. However, there are no laws or regulations to stop someone under 18 from buying them.
Where this can happen
Risks and motivations
Risks
Losing money
Loot boxes can lead to excessive spending. Many games encourage this through techniques such as limited-time offers.
Children and young people can feel pressurised and may not be able to recognise how much they are spending in a game.
Gambling-like behaviours
Loot boxes are a game of chance. Someone can pay a fixed sum for a loot box, which has a low chance of containing a highly valuable reward. Prizes from loot boxes can also be used to gamble for money. Some third-party sites allow individuals to engage in skin gambling.
Gambling can be habit-forming and addictive. Being exposed to forms of gambling can have a lasting, harmful effect on children.
Motivations
A child or young person might buy a loot box because they:
- want an in-game advantage
- want an item that brings status, like a rare skin
- find it fun
- feel compelled
- have friends who do it
- have in-game resources to spend
- are streaming unboxing videos to an audience
- have easy access to finances
- aren’t aware of the value of money
Young people’s voice
In my head I was like ‘stop’. My guts were saying ‘stop’. Everything was saying ‘stop’, but my brain wasn’t. My brain was like ‘keep opening’. It was hard. It was like when you’re addicted to something. […]. It was hard to stop.”
Young person
Between Gaming and Gambling: Children, Young People, and Paid Reward Systems in Digital Games, Economic and social research council, 2022
[The excitement] depends on what you’ve got… If you don’t get anyone good it makes you angry because you’ve wasted money.”
15 year old
Gaming the system, Children's Commissioner, 2019
What you can do
You may be concerned about the amount of money a child or young person is spending on loot boxes.
You might also be concerned that they are developing habits related to gambling, or gambling on other websites.
Having a conversation can be one way to help minimise possible risks. You might talk about:
- alternatives to buying loot boxes. For example, earning an item through gameplay
- the low odds of winning a valuable prize
- how the design of games can encourage them to spend
- risks of developing a gambling habit
You could work with a young person’s family or carers to put parental controls in place. These can often limit spending on a device or within a game. Depending on the situation, it may also be helpful to remove saved card details from a young person’s device.
Debt services can offer advice and support to a young person who is experiencing money worries.
If you think that a young person is at risk, follow your safeguarding procedure and read our safeguarding guidance.
Support
You may be working with a child or young person who has had a negative experience with loot boxes.
For example, they may have spent considerable sums of money on loot boxes for no reward. They may also have gambled with rewards from loot boxes.
Read more about loot boxes
Share your experience of loot boxes
You can tell us about:
- other terms you might have heard
- conversations you’ve had with young people
- a related platform or app
- another related risk or harm