Habbo "Loot" Boxes
Sulake are no stranger where it comes to releasing desirable clothing and furniture on Habbo and Hotel Hideaway where you require to buy a item (common known as a loot box, but normally named and disguised otherwise) with real money to be in a chance to win the most rarest piece of clothing/furniture.
This to me comes across a level of gambling that is currently a bannable offence on Habbo (unknown for Hotel Hideaway) where both games target audience are teenagers.
According to Online Gambling Law in the UK: "Gambling laws are vague and oftentimes contradictory in other parts of the world... The only thing you need is a player is to be 18 years or older"
To read Online Gambling Law in more detail please click here.
Additionally, users who plays Habbo on Twitter have recently spoken up and put the following:
Where Mr Churchley from Habbo posts an interesting academic journal article called "Adolescents and loot boxes: links with problem gambling and motivations for purchase" that can be read by clicking here.
Additionally, a user on twitter by the name of Mr. Fellsing goes on about his annoyance at casinos being banned yet Habbo go along and do this style of marketing:
It is worth mentioning that people who play Habbo and Hotel Hideaway are not "forced" to take part and buy these lootboxes and most users who play will need parents permission to even purchase habbo credits in the first place.
For this debate:
Do you believing this could be causing teens to start to have a gambling addiction/fulling addition?
Or do you believe this is just an innocent way for a company to make money from those willing to pay?
Do you think Habbo should promote some kind of campaign where once the 'fun stops, stop!' in regards to buying loot boxes (as there is a few who buy quite a few in one go!)
Or something else?
Post your reply below!