{"id":10399,"date":"2020-02-11T09:03:33","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T09:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legitgambling.com\/news\/?p=10399"},"modified":"2020-02-11T12:33:36","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T12:33:36","slug":"australia-calls-for-video-game-classifications-to-include-gambling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legitgambling.com\/news\/australia-calls-for-video-game-classifications-to-include-gambling\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia Calls for Video Game Classifications To Include Gambling"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"VideoThe Centre for Responsible Technology<\/a> (CRT), which is funded by the Australia Institute, made public its calls to expand the nature of classifying video games, in order to cover design elements that may expose children to potentially addictive gambling like content.<\/p>\n

The CRT submitted an assessment “Gambling on Games: How Video Games Expose Children to Gambling<\/a>” to the Department of Communications<\/strong> (DoC), who are undertaking a review into the classification system. The CRT stated that many video games are utilising design elements that motivate addictive behaviours in children, increasing the risk for problem gambling behaviours later on in life.<\/p>\n

The current classification system for games follows the lead of visual mediums such as TV and films, rating them solely on content, such as sex, drug use, and violence. The CRT contends that video games must be treated as a special case, classified for their content as well as design, as they have found that many in video games employ design elements that may not be suitable for children, such as the ability to earn and exchange virtual currencies and in-game purchases. <\/p>\n

Peter Lewis<\/strong>, the director of the CRT, stated that the DoC\u2019s review is a chance to ensure that children are protected from gambling online to the same degree that they are in the real world. Lewis argued that the risks of children playing games that utilise gambling-like elements are high\u2014gambling behaviors could be normalised, which would increase the risk for addiction. Games like Call of Duty<\/strong> and Overwatch<\/strong> which feature in-game purchases using real as well as virtual currency\u2014were identified by Lewis as key culprits for regulation.<\/p>\n

TooManyMoths<\/strong><\/p>\n

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