‘It’s rotting young people’s brains’: the murky world of gambling in video games

In-game purchases of bonus items have long been available. But now gamers are being lured into casino-style betting to win them

No one likes to imagine they might have given a loved one a ticket to a gambling problem as a gift. But Jeff, a professional video gamer, thinks well-meaning parents, partners and friends may have done just that if they have celebrated a special occasion by presenting someone with a voucher for an online gaming platform.

Jeff is prodigiously talented at Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), a wildly popular military-style shooter played by millions around the world. He has 750,000 subscribers on YouTube alone, a highly engaged fanbase willing to spend money on their hobby.

Continue reading…

About Author