Everyone has choices. (Destiny)

by Kahzgul, Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 12:12 (2590 days ago) @ MacAddictXIV

Dude, great reply, and thank you, too. I'm not quoting it because these posts are getting silly long, but I really appreciate it.

I would love to see professional help made available to gamers with a micro-gambling-transaction addiction. At casinos in Nevada, they have phone numbers you can call for gambling addiction help and you can reach professionals who specialize in just that. I would love to see games which contain gambles include similar notices. Nevada also has a state gaming commission that oversees all games and ensures that the odds are what the casinos say they are, as well as issues licenses to oversight companies to do the same. No such commission exists for video games, nor do any third party oversight committees.

In the absence of oversight, game devs have both motive and opportunity to bilk players and take advantage of any weaknesses they may suffer from, and since the devs also offer no in-game avenue for support or assistance to players who may be addicted, it is very unlikely that those people will ever get help on their own.

I wish everyone had the gumption and willpower that you have and is able to fight off their own demons. That would make these sorts of things trivial. Unfortunately, I've known too many who have given up on themselves or otherwise lack the strength to break their own destructive cycles. And I, cynically - I admit - believe that the gaming industry is preying on them right now, and will continue to do so until legally regulated. I also don't know if there is any real public support to help addicted gamers. They represent a very small fringe of an already maligned group, and they suffer alone, behind closed doors, where few can even see them. In-game they are gods. In real life, they are invisible. It's easy to see why they continue to spend whatever they have on their virtual avatars.