What are loot boxes?
Some video games offer ‘loot boxes’ as a way to purchase items.
Similar to purchasing a pack of football stickers, players don’t know exactly what they will get. They may get a common item that has a low value in the game - but equally, they may get a rare item that has a high value.
What is skin betting?
‘Skin betting’ is when players use virtual items they have earned or purchased in games (often titled ‘skins’ because they are cosmetic features) as gambling currency.
Players can use websites or apps outside of the game itself, which are mostly unregulated, to bet with ‘skins’ on eSports competition outcomes. This becomes a legal issue when the ‘skins’ you win can be converted to cash.
For more information on the associated risks and online safety tips for parents and carers, watch our explainer video, available to those with a National Online Safety membership.