With over 90% of UK children aged between five and 11 playing video games, and one-in-three purchasing in-game items, spending an average of £26 per month—understanding the commercial pressures within digital play has never been more vital.
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the project will be led by Dr John Shaw, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill.
The team will collaborate closely with leading charities including YGam, Internet Matters, and ADHD UK. The research is due to officially start in January 2027.
Dr John Shaw said: “Coercive pressure is often exerted on children to engage with microtransactions through time-limited availability, rarity and the social desirability of virtual items. Crucially, loot boxes share psychological similarities with gambling and are linked with mental health difficulties in young people.
“The risks posed by these features may be particularly acute for neurodivergent children, including those with ADHD and autism, who often spend more time playing video games. Generating this knowledge is essential to safeguard children, protect vulnerable groups and promote digital literacy for families navigating increasingly commercialised gaming environments.”
The study focuses on “microtransactions” and “loot boxes”, features where players exchange real-world currency for randomised digital rewards or virtual items. Because loot boxes share psychological and mechanistic similarities with traditional gambling, they have become a major public health concern, linked to potential mental health difficulties in children and adolescents.
Despite widespread concern, previous research has yet to fully determine how engagement with loot boxes develops over time, how they impact broader psychological development, or which children are most at risk.
The findings of the three-year study will be used to develop practical resources to support healthy gaming habits for children and caregivers, while also generating evidence-based recommendations to inform future policy and regulation surrounding loot boxes.
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September 8, 2026
