REVIEW ARTICLE
Loot boxes – gambling-like mechanisms hidden in digital games A narrative review of psychological processes, addiction risk, and regulation
1
Katedra Psychologii Klinicznej i Neuropsychologii, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, Polska
Submission date: 2025-09-10
Acceptance date: 2026-01-09
Publication date: 2026-02-02
Corresponding author
Robert Jarosław Modrzyński
Katedra Psychologii Klinicznej i Neuropsychologii, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, Polska
Katedra Psychologii Klinicznej i Neuropsychologii, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, Polska
Rozprawy Społeczne/Social Dissertations 2026;20(1):1-10
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Abstract: Loot boxes have become a common monetisation strategy in digital games. The aim of
this paper is to review how they relate to gambling-like mechanisms, addiction risk, and regulation. Material and methods: The paper presents a narrative integrative review of empirical studies and
institutional reports on loot boxes. The author conducted targeted searches in PsycINFO, PubMed,
Scopus, and Web of Science and screened selected reports and legal analyses using predefined
inclusion criteria. Results: The review shows that loot boxes reproduce key mechanisms identified in gambling
research, including variable-ratio reinforcement, near-miss effects, and cognitive distortions,
and that spending on loot boxes is significantly associated with problem gambling and, to a lesser
extent, problematic gaming, especially among adolescents. Conclusions: Loot boxes operate in a legal “grey area” in Poland and may contribute to addictionlike
behavioural patterns in vulnerable players, which supports the need to refine regulatory and
preventive frameworks.
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| eISSN: | 2657-9332 |
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