Gamers in the Northern Territory are taking part in a study to discover how in-game spending on virtual items and events may shape long-term gambling habits.
Flinders University researcher Dr Megan Bailey said the Gambling Awareness Messaging & Education (GAME) campaign was investigating the increasingly transactional nature of live service games.
“While the vibrant gaming scene reflects the central and positive role video games play in the lives of many young people, in-game spending is now a core part of how many young people play,” Dr Bailey said.
She said these video games were designed to be continually updated and monetised after launch, often through new content, time-limited events, and in-game purchases, with the aim of keeping players engaged, and spending, over time.
“We know that young people’s first exposure to gambling-like mechanics is likely to be via video games and mobile apps.
“Which is why we want to find effective ways to promote positive gaming habits among young users.”
Dr Bailey said the GAME campaign was driven by the desire to challenge – but not necessarily disrupt – young people’s in-game spending behaviour.
She said it sought to provoke critical thinking about the behind-the-scenes influences that work in tandem with game-adjacent content, such as online influencers and live-streaming.
“Influences that subtly reinforce spending habits and potentially patterns of compulsive engagement.”
Dr Bailey said exploring the perspectives, preferences, and motivations of NT gamers through their own lens, they hoped to craft health promotion messages that resonated.
Skye Lavelle, a young gamer and one of the GAME campaign co-designers, said players may not initially perceive in-game actions as forms of gambling.
“However, being involved in this project has prompted a critical reflection on my own game-play behaviours. This has enabled me to identify personal spending habits, and encouraged more informed financial decision-making within gaming contexts,” Ms Lavelle says.
