A scoping review of the association between loot boxes, esports, skin betting, and token wagering with gambling and video gaming behaviors

Background and aims: Many new digital gambling-like activities such as loot boxes, esports betting, skin betting, and token wagering have recently emerged and grown in popularity. This scoping review aimed to: (a) synthesize the existing empirical research literature on gambling-like activities and their associations with gambling and video gaming behaviors, including problem gambling and video gaming; (b) identify sociodemographic, psychological, and motivational factors associated with engagement in gambling-like activities; and (c) identify research gaps and areas for further research. Methods: A systematic search of Ovid, Embsco, and ProQuest databases and Google Scholar was conducted in May 2021 and last updated in February 2022. The search yielded a total of 2,437 articles. Articles were included in the review if they were empirical studies that contained quantitative or qualitative results regarding the relationship between gambling-like activities and gambling or gaming. Results: Thirtyeight articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Overall, the review results suggest that all forms of gambling-like activities were positively associated with gambling and gaming with small to medium effects. Gambling-like activity participation was also positively associated with mental distress and impulsivity. Gaps identified included a lack of inquiry into skin betting and token wagering, a lack of diversity in the research methods (i.e., mainly cross-sectional surveys), and a paucity of research that includes more ethnically, culturally, and geographically diverse populations. Discussion: Longitudinal studies with more representative samples are needed to examine the causal link between gambling-like activities and gambling and video gaming.

Automated summary

This scoping review examined the relationship between digital gambling-like activities and gambling and video gaming behaviors. The results showed that all forms of gambling-like activities were positively associated with gambling and gaming with small to medium effects. Participation in these activities was also linked to mental distress and impulsivity. However, there were gaps identified, including a lack of research on skin betting and token wagering, limited diversity in research methods, and a need for more studies involving ethnically, culturally, and geographically diverse populations.