Gacha game
[3][4][5][6] Digital Gacha games have been criticized for being addictive, and are often compared to gambling due to the incentive to spend real-world money on chance-based rewards.
It can typically be regenerated or gained instantly through some form of currency spending, either premium microtransaction or earned in game.
Other times, Stamina burnt is often translated into experience points for an player's entire account in more quick, casual oriented games.
In some games, players are generally given free or discounted gachas in low amounts on a regular schedule, in exchange for logging in or doing in-game tasks.
In mobile games this is used by a cheap product to set the anchor then the more expensive ones that shows deals making the player feel better for a purchase because they have more value.
[7] Gacha games often use a ‘near miss’ technique inspired by gambling, in which the player’s pull briefly shows a valuable or rare item before stopping on a different, less desirable one.
[14][16] Gacha games have faced significant criticism for their resemblance to gambling, largely due to their reliance on chance-based mechanics to acquire desirable in-game items.
Studies in Europe and the United States indicate that a substantial portion of young players who engage in gacha games develop gambling-like behaviors.
[7][17] The gacha industry has been accused of exploiting addictive behaviors, with a notable percentage of players being students who spend considerable amounts of money on these games despite lacking a steady income.
[7] The European Union Parliament has taken steps to regulate gacha mechanics to protect consumers, citing the exploitative nature of these games.
[19] Players with existing gambling problems are particularly vulnerable to spending excessive amounts of money on gacha games.
Reports indicate that around 30% of revenue from gacha and loot box mechanics comes from players at moderate to high risk for gambling addiction.
For example, the UK's legal framework does not classify gacha as gambling since the virtual items obtained do not have real-world monetary value.
The anticipation of obtaining a rare or desirable item can create a sense of excitement similar to that experienced in traditional gambling.
The impact on players largely depends on how the developers implement the gacha mechanics and whether they are essential for game progression or merely provide optional enhancements.
[24] In response to growing concerns, some jurisdictions have implemented regulations requiring transparency in drop rates and banning particularly exploitative practices.
Nevertheless, gacha games continue to be a lucrative business model, generating substantial revenue and sparking ongoing debates about their ethical implications and resemblance to gambling.
