Please find the National Online Safety guide for ‘What Parents Need to Know About Loot Boxes & Skin Betting‘ below.
Download: What Parents Need to Know About Loot Boxes & Skin Betting [PDF]
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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. Equally, they may get a rare item that has a high value.
“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.
In the guide, you’ll find tips on a number of potential risks such as gambling, unregulated third-party communities and in-app purchases.