[New publication] When gaming becomes gambling: The hidden risks of video game mechanics on children’s rights

In a new book titled “Ready to Play?” – A Children’s Rights Analysis of Gambling-like Elements in Videogames (Asser Press/Springer), author Pieterjan Declerck (Ghent University) argues that the videogame industry should tackle the growing risks of gambling-like features aimed at children. He calls for a fundamental rethink of how children's rights are protected in an increasingly commercialised digital environment. Regulators should apply existing gambling, consumer and data protection laws more robustly.  

In his new book 'Ready to Play: A Children's Rights Analysis of Gambling-like Elements in Videogames’ author PieterJan Declerck writes that exposing young players to mechanics such as loot boxes and social casino games blurs the line between gaming and gambling, which undermines children's legal protections and well-being. Declerk suggests that to close these gaps, regulators should apply existing gambling, consumer, and data protection laws more robustly, while drawing on insights from psychology and media studies. His call is for a fundamental rethink of how children’s rights are protected in an increasingly commercialised digital environment. 

The modern videogame, which is often accessed online, is no longer a self-contained product. Instead, it has become a constantly evolving service in which chance-based rewards and simulated betting are commonplace. Oversight depends on an interconnected system of national agencies, consumer organisations, and voluntary norms in the absence of a dedicated monitoring authority. However, in practice, these protections frequently prove insufficient, especially when games use complicated revenue-generating mechanisms or operate internationally. 

The current tools available to regulators, such as parental control features or industry pledges, have rarely led to consistent protection. In his new book, Declerck argues that this fragmented approach is no longer justifiable. The consequences of weak protections are not abstract; they affect real children learning to spend and take risks in ways that mirror gambling behaviour. 

Robust safeguards 

The book’s key message is clear: protecting children in digital spaces depends not only on legislation, but also on collective action by policymakers, industry and parents. Gambling-like mechanics, Declerck writes, should be treated not as harmless fun but as a matter of legal and developmental concern. The author critically examines how inadequate protections weaken trust, delay effective intervention, and normalise risky play patterns. 

What makes this book stand out, is the author’s fresh approach to placing children’s rights at the centre of his analysis. Declerck argues that policymakers can use existing laws – applied with greater scope and determination – to address the risks. By drawing on frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, alongside interdisciplinary evidence from psychology and media studies, he offers a new toolkit. This strategy would not only uphold legal protections but also secure global norms around the protection of minors. 

At a time when online gaming is growing and monetisation is becoming increasingly complex, this book provides timely and practical advice, combining legal information with accessible explanations. It will be of interest to lawyers, policy-makers, researchers, parents, and child rights activists. 

About the author 

Dr Pieterjan Declerck holds a Doctor in Law and a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Law and Technology, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Ghent University, Belgium. His research focuses on the intersection of law, technology and human rights, with an emphasis on child protection in the digital sphere.  

This book is Volume 40 in the Information Technology and Law Series published by T.M.C. Asser Press in collaboration with Springer. 

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