SINGAPORE - Loot boxes are lucrative for game developers but their use is akin to gambling, say experts and those in the industry.
The boxes are virtual goodie bags that give players random in-game rewards, and can be purchased either with currencies in the game or indirectly with real cash.

Counsellors and cyber wellness experts have said loot boxes are linked to problem gambling because of the "risk-reward factor" and "rush" inherent in their mechanisms.

While Singapore currently has no laws against loot boxes, they have been banned by some countries like Belgium. The Ministry of Education said in October that primary and secondary school students here may be taught about the ills of loot boxes.