Problem gamblers spend less money when loot boxes are removed from a game: a before and after study of Heroes of the Storm
Zendle, sole author. A before-and-after study of 112 players of one multiplayer game, observed either side of the developer removing loot boxes, found what the author calls a complex pattern of results, in which problem gamblers appeared to spend significantly less money in game after the removal, unlike other groups. The author suggests loot boxes may lead problem gamblers to spend more, and presents the design as observational rather than randomised.
Zendle, sole author. A before-and-after study of 112 players of one multiplayer game, observed either side of the developer removing loot boxes, found what the author calls a complex pattern of results, in which problem gamblers appeared to spend significantly less money in game after the removal, unlike other groups. The author suggests loot boxes may lead problem gamblers to spend more, and presents the design as observational rather than randomised.
Written from the abstract read 2026-10-18.
What our sources record
Recorded when this source was checked, figures included, with page references and quotation marks removed.
Zendle, D. (2019). Problem gamblers spend less money when loot boxes are removed from a game: a before and after study of Heroes of the Storm. PeerJ, 7, e7700. doi:10.7717/peerj.7700.