I mean it might be if the industry recognized gacha as gambling and provided support to those actively suffering but instead we have an industry that outright refuses to own up to peddling what is literally gambling. https://twitter.com/six6jiang/status/1337846693363126273

I would have just replied with this, I think this discussion is important, but, don’t have that option, so instead I’m having to come across as if I’m putting her on blast, Twitter’s an extremely healthy platform for important discussions like this.

In any case the fact that the video games industry by and large refuses to call gacha gambling instead of “surprise mechanics” is why those who are actively suffering from addictions to loot boxes *right now* can’t get help, because there isn’t a medical infrastructure for them.

Gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction recognized in the DSM and thus the only behavioral addiction insurers will pay to treat. The game industry has fought attempts to call gacha gambling and to classify video game addiction as a thing in the DSM, and so,

We can treat it like gambling and talk about how gambling can actually be a fun thing for adults to engage in, with moderation, provided we actually are able to call it gambling and there are resources for those who can’t moderate, but we’re not there yet!

We instead have a bunch of colorful cartoon fantasy worlds rife with mechanics that literally mirror the techniques used in casinos to rope people into spending more, with no will from the industry to recognize its actions as what they are. It’s not great!

Exactly. No one’s making sex games with colorful anime graphics. Overwatch League airs on the fucking Disney Channel, dude. This stuff is being actively marketed to kids. We can give those kids resources, but the industry should be held accountable. https://twitter.com/Cousycousy/status/1337863490413924352