Pretty much all of the biggest games with under 16s (Fortnite, Roblox, CoD etc) pay millions (if not tens of millions) to behavioural psychologists who basically all do the work under pseudonyms and strict NDAs to avoid legal liability and public condemnation.
But even then video games are the symptom not the disease… (This is gonna be long)
It’s been impossible to watch any sport for at least a decade without being bombarded with betting ads. When the sponsorship regulations lifted everything in sight (not just sports teams) became sponsored by betting companies. A lot of less prosperous towns have dozens of betting shops as the only profitable and consistently open business on high streets (main street) - this was sometimes true in the bad old days of ex pit villages but now is everywhere. Maybe 20% of all paid, non target advertising (TV, radio, online) here is gambling related. Every major satallite TV and broadband company has it’s own casino and gambling company, often prioritised and delivered to you as a customer whether you like it or not.
The gambling industry, more than even arms or landlordism, has totally taken over the funding of literally all MPs and politicians (often for embarrassing figures). Over a decade ago now, when my (shit, centrist melt) MP where I used to live lost their seat, the gambling industry paid them £3k a month to write four articles a year plus a white paper about how ‘the working class’ (which he was very much not a part of despite his attempts to pretend otherwise) saw regulation on gambling and help for addicts as patronising nanny statism. When said former MP was about to regain a small amount of influence in parliament they were immediately gifted three weeks in the US all expenses paid by a betting company lobby group.
Granted I don’t really play modern video games, but aren’t most titles for kids anymore filled with microtransactions and gambling like mechanics?
Yes.
Pretty much all of the biggest games with under 16s (Fortnite, Roblox, CoD etc) pay millions (if not tens of millions) to behavioural psychologists who basically all do the work under pseudonyms and strict NDAs to avoid legal liability and public condemnation.
But even then video games are the symptom not the disease… (This is gonna be long)
It’s been impossible to watch any sport for at least a decade without being bombarded with betting ads. When the sponsorship regulations lifted everything in sight (not just sports teams) became sponsored by betting companies. A lot of less prosperous towns have dozens of betting shops as the only profitable and consistently open business on high streets (main street) - this was sometimes true in the bad old days of ex pit villages but now is everywhere. Maybe 20% of all paid, non target advertising (TV, radio, online) here is gambling related. Every major satallite TV and broadband company has it’s own casino and gambling company, often prioritised and delivered to you as a customer whether you like it or not.
The gambling industry, more than even arms or landlordism, has totally taken over the funding of literally all MPs and politicians (often for embarrassing figures). Over a decade ago now, when my (shit, centrist melt) MP where I used to live lost their seat, the gambling industry paid them £3k a month to write four articles a year plus a white paper about how ‘the working class’ (which he was very much not a part of despite his attempts to pretend otherwise) saw regulation on gambling and help for addicts as patronising nanny statism. When said former MP was about to regain a small amount of influence in parliament they were immediately gifted three weeks in the US all expenses paid by a betting company lobby group.
Every new game thing is in a fucking loot box
Partially banned in Europe I think