Croatian Institute of Public Health issues video game gambling guidelines

The Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) has issued national guidelines for the gambling and video game industries to protect children and young people from gambling-related risks. The guidelines address the increasing overlap between these two sectors, specifically highlighting the dangers of ‘loot boxes’—mechanisms where players purchase random virtual items for money or in-game currency.

HZJZ describes loot boxes as a hidden form of gambling that exposes youth to reward mechanisms identical to those in casinos without formal age restrictions. The guidelines warn against persuasive design elements, such as the ‘near-miss effect,’ time-limited offers, and dynamic pricing optimized through behavioral analytics to increase spending.

Proposed measures include: • Implementing reliable age verification instead of simple self-assessment. • Prohibiting targeted advertising to minors. • Introducing ‘reality check’ notifications that inform users of time and money spent. • Requiring industry education to recognize problematic behavior and increasing data transparency with authorities.