Loot boxes and gacha games: what parents should know
How loot boxes, gacha pulls and lucky spins work, why they resemble gambling, and how to protect your child from overspending.
- Loot boxes and gacha pulls give random rewards for real money, much like gambling.
- Near-misses, limited-time banners and "pity" systems are designed to keep players spending.
- Set spending limits, talk about the odds, and watch for chasing behaviour.
Many popular games, including mobile games, sell random rewards. They go by different names: loot boxes, gacha, pulls, lucky spins, draws, crates, packs. The child pays, in real or in-game currency, and gets a random item, which might be common or extremely rare.
How they work
- Random rewards: you don't know what you'll get.
- Rarity tiers: rare items have very low odds, sometimes well under 1%.
- Limited-time banners: special characters or skins available only for a short time.
- Pity systems: a guaranteed rare item after a certain number of pulls, which encourages spending up to that number.
- Virtual currency: real money converted into gems, diamonds or crystals, making it harder to feel the true cost.
Games that use these mechanics include many gacha RPGs, sports games with player packs, and popular mobile games with skin draws.
Why it's like gambling
Loot boxes share key features with gambling: paying money for a chance at a valuable reward, with outcomes decided by chance. Researchers have found links between loot box spending and problem gambling, especially among adolescents. Some countries have restricted them: Belgium, for example, treats paid loot boxes as gambling. Apple and Google require games to disclose loot box odds.
Warning signs
- Spending more than planned, or more than they have
- Asking repeatedly for money or load for "one more pull"
- Excitement and distress tied to pulls
- Hiding spending
- Chasing: spending more after bad pulls to "make up for it"
What parents can do
Set limits
- Turn on purchase approval in app stores. See stopping surprise purchases.
- Use a fixed monthly allowance or gift card.
- Don't save payment methods.
Talk about the odds
Look up the odds together (games must publish them). Work out how much it would cost, on average, to get the item they want. It's often eye-opening.
Talk about design
Explain how games are designed to keep people spending: limited-time pressure, near-misses, bright animations. Children who understand the tricks are less affected by them.
Prefer buying directly
If your child wants a specific skin, buying it directly, when available, is better than paying for random chances.
The link to gambling
Gacha habits can lead to interest in real gambling, which is heavily advertised online in the Philippines. See online gambling and teens.
eGuard sets up screen time, bedtime and app rules on your child's phone and checks that each one is really on. Free for one child.