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Mainstream Video Games Circumvent Underage Gambling Prevention
By Shane Addinall Jun 20, 2019 OpinionWill the addition of online gambling in mainstream video games result in stricter gambling regulations from the UKGC in order to protect the youth from underage gambling addiction?The UK Gambling Commission is known as one of the most active and stringent regulatory bodies in the gambling sector, and rightfully so. Their mandate is to protect their people from harmful gambling practices which includes unclear promotions, compulsive gambling behaviour and keeping children from becoming involved in underage gambling.
✓New Gambling Harms Study
As a part of their commitment to protecting children and young people from gambling associated harms, a new framework study was publicised in May 2019. The study was created by Ipsos MORI in collaboration with the UK Gambling Commission, the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling as well as GambleAware.
In short, the framework looks at how young people are affected by gambling directly and indirectly and what impact this has on them in the following 4 areas:
- Financial: living standards of family, attitudes to and concerns about money
- Development: education, social and emotional functioning
- Relationships: family, friends and the community, behaviour
- Health: physical, mental, emotional well-being
This research will be used to create ongoing programs aimed at promoting the healthy development of Britain’s youth - a laudable goal!
✓No Idle Hands
The UKGC is currently far from idle. While the new framework is not yet implemented the UKGC do have a robust plan in place which actively addresses the language, incentives and specifically the imagery used in gambling advertising to ensure it does not appeal to a younger audience.
This has led key brands who have cartoony mascots, such as Royal Panda, Casumo and Wishmaker, to remove them from their UK advertising efforts as a sign of solidarity with the UKGC’s intentions. It has also seen some of the more popular slots which feature comic book or fairy tale themes removed from UK facing promotions and advertisements.
However, there have been some brands who have not toed the line and been taken to task for it. June 2019 saw ads placed by TapJoy on the mobile game Looney Tunes World of Mayhem (rated PEGI 7 in the app store) come under fire from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for gambling content. The ads in question promoted several well-known brands including William Hill, Betfair and Dunder.
✓Rockstar Rock The Boat
While the UKGC and other bodies work tirelessly to head off premature access to gambling and gambling adjacent attractions like loot boxes there could be a more direct concern that seems to be flying under their radar – the insertion of online gambling opportunities into mainstream online video games by Rockstar.
Rockstar games are filled with violence, alcohol, drugs and prostitution and as such are marketed as adult content. However, these games are available on PC, PlayStation and Xbox which have only the barest of age verification processes in place.
Since its inception in 2013 their flagship game, Grand Theft Auto 5, has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. To think that a game with that reach, which also has virtually zero enforceable age-gating, only has adult players is laughably naive. Even a precursory search of gaming forums will bring up “just for fun” polls where 15%-55% of respondents admit to being under 18 years of age.
✓Real Money Gambling Concerns
Rockstar Games latest DLC announcement promised players of GTA Online a casino expansion called Diamond Casino. While this would not be the first Rockstar game to offer gambling, you can play poker in their other title Red Dead online, it is the first time in-game gambling could be tied to real money transactions via microtransactions.
For games following the Games as a Service model (GaaS) microtransactions are their lifeblood. In-game items, experience boosters and cosmetic items are offered for purchase in-game stores using an in-game currency bought with real money.
While underage children might not be gambling online at a licenced casino thanks to the UKGC there is the very real chance they could be betting their virtual currency at the GTA Diamond Casino soon. Without age verification controls and KYC documentation, the chances of blocking children from playing at the virtual casino are slim to none.
✓Poker Out West
In addition to the GTA franchise Rockstar also own the Wild West themed franchise Red Dead. The online version of this game has also received a gambling update with the addition of 5 poker rooms spread across the map. Here you can play private games and public games using in-game “Cash” which cannot be bought with real money at this time. However, should the company see success with its casino in GTA Online it would not be a stretch to see them patching in a real money option.
✓Will Video Game Gambling Bust?
With the number of resources and energy put into protecting children from becoming attracted to gambling at an early age do these mainstream video game companies run the risk of creating even stricter gambling legislation by putting the chance to gamble into their online games? Let the GamblersPick Community know what you think, we’d love to hear from you.
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