[Accacin]

Sadly, people play and buy these games as evidenced by the dumpster fire that was Diablo Immortal. I love Diablo, but there was no way in hell (lol) that I'd download that game and even play for free.

I feel like these mobile games need regulating heavily, but it's also down to use to not support these games.

[bogwog]

> but it's also down to use to not support these games.

Not really true. Gambling is heavily regulated for a reason, it's just that these games haven't been officially categorized as gambling under existing gambling laws (yet).

If you ever meet a gambling addict, try telling them to "just stop gambling" and see how well it works. There's something about the human brain that's highly vulnerable to this particular vice.

[fullshark]

There's two issues going on imo:

1. Technology has moved faster than regulation (a given).

2. There was a massive secular culture war victory in the west for shutting down those who decry vice and immorality among the religious, to the point that it's associated with mostly negative things: elitism, bigotry, patriarchal thinking, etc. It's simply not cool to say "gov't should regulate phones cause they are vice dispensary machines." Think of Helen Lovejoy from the Simpsons. So many times I've seen people here comment that "Elvis caused a moral panic" too or whatever basically agreeing with that point while we all work trying to get our cut.

I don't know, maybe it takes a generation going through adolescence with these things everywhere for anything to happen. Maybe these industries will self police, but I don't get why any of us would want to work on games like this, or give them to our children.

[TedDoesntTalk]

Gambling is more addictive than drugs or alcohol because it actually DOES pay (sometimes).

[anthk]

Are you sure? Read about the Delirium Tremens, when withdrawing can be letal.

[TedDoesntTalk]

If you ask a therapist who specializes in addiction, they will likely say that gambling addictions are the hardest to treat. The reasoning is that when one gambles, one actually wins sometimes, even after many years of gambling. It’s that occasional reward that makes it difficult to treat.

Drug and alcohol addiction, after years of abuse, do not result in “wins” of any kind (NB I did not say in the beginning of the addiction… but years later)

[Accacin]

Completely agree with you, and I didn't mean it like that although I see it came across that way. I'm very in favour of these games being highly regulated.

I really just meant in the sense of "normal" gamers in general, for example I've got friends who bemoan how the latest game they just bought runs like crap on their high-end PC and I'll say "stop preordering games" and they'll come up with some poor excuse as to why preordering is not the reason for these issues.

They'll complain about Diablo Immortal but download it and buy at least the first couple of packs you get offered.

[deafpolygon]

Gambling as an industry is held up by (I don't remember exact numbers) something like 3-5% of gamblers that provide nearly 50% of the revenue.

I imagine it's similar here.

[zerocrates]

I don't have specific numbers, but that's definitely how a certain type of really successful mobile game works: they're nominally very cheap (typically free) but offer lots of ways for the diehards to pay: skipping past grinds, bonuses/enhancements, more pulls or better odds on random chance elements, piles of expensive optional cosmetic items, and so on.