Study finds free-to-play video game spending mimics gambling patterns

A study published in Frontiers in Public Health reveals that the spending patterns in free-to-play video games closely mimic those found in the gambling industry. Research conducted in Austria involving 2,300 students aged 10 to 19 found that a small minority of players, referred to as “heavy spenders,” accounts for a disproportionate amount of total revenue. Specifically, the top 10% of spenders were responsible for 61.4% of all transactions.

The study highlights that mechanisms such as loot boxes, battle passes, virtual currencies, and time-limited offers encourage repeated spending. Unlike many other industries where high spending correlates with high wealth, the research suggests that heavy spending in gaming may not be limited to affluent players. Furthermore, 14% of these heavy spenders exhibited symptoms of behavioral addiction, and there appeared to be a higher prevalence of gaming and gambling disorders among this group.