The line between videogames and gambling is blurring in the past decade, especially with the advent of monetisation of videogames. Children are particularly vulnerable, as they are progressively exposed to gambling in their games, potentially leading to problematic behaviour. In this episode, Maarten Denoo brings some nuance in this debate, without resulting to moral panic. He discusses how this technological phenomenon can be addressed from different perspectives, e.g. legal, ethical, or design. As an example, lootboxes that offer random awards are legally banned in Belgium, but players can easily circumvent this ban, so other approaches are needed.

This episode was recorded on 18 April 2024