Emerging research suggests that problem gambling, or at least certain forms of it, have increased during the pandemic ( Brodeur et al., 2021 Sachdeva, Sharma & Sarangi, 2022), but research on loot boxes, a potential analog to gambling, during the pandemic has been less explored. Although research on loot boxes is in its first years and the impacts of engagement are not yet firmly established, the potential increased exposure to loot boxes, particularly among youth, merits further investigation of whether and how the pandemic may have affected consumption. Others have argued for the use of warning labels for games that have loot boxes, the use of spending controls or limits, and providing players and parents with better information to make informed decisions ( Drummond, Hall & Sauer, 2022). They have been compared to gambling, with some political and health officials supporting legislation to prohibit youth from buying loot boxes ( Macgregor, 2020 Orland, 2019), and are already prohibited under existing gambling restrictions in at least one country ( Acres, 2019 Xiao, 2023). Loot boxes have been defined as “virtual items that can be redeemed (opened) to receive randomly selected other virtual items (loot)” ( DeCamp, 2021). For some individuals, this increase in screen time includes playing video games, which in turn may increase exposure to loot boxes. As a result of social and individual pandemic-related changes, the average amount of time spent using digital screens has increased, whether for work, school, or entertainment. Work closures and remote work, school closures and remote learning, social distancing, and social isolation have all impacted daily routines. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically reshaped both social and individual behavior.

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