The Social Risks of Predatory Monetisation Schemes on Gaming Addictive Behaviour: Implications for Upstream Social Marketing

Background Numerous predatory monetisation schemes found within many modern-day online video games are designed to encourage gamers to make repeat transactions through sophisticated in-game purchasing options. As such, vulnerable users are at risk of financial and psychological exploitation. While existing research has examined psychological and behavioural outcomes that highlight addiction risks and distorted gaming experiences, the processes that drive players toward such harmful behaviours have received limited empirical attention. Focus of the Article The current study seeks to investigate perceived reward value, gaming intention, and online impulse purchasing behaviour as underlying mechanisms that offer a deeper lens into how players experience, rationalise, and act upon monetisation prompts. Importance to the Social Marketing Field Understanding the mechanisms through which predatory monetisation schemes influence addictive behaviour is important for informing upstream social marketing interventions that can target the design of monetisation schemes, influence industry standards, and shape policies to protect vulnerable consumers. Results Findings of the quantitative study revealed a significant positive relationship between predatory monetisation schemes and online impulse buying behaviour and gaming intention. The relationship between online impulse buying behaviour and gaming addiction was also significant. Perceived reward value mediates the relationship between predatory monetisation schemes and gaming addiction behaviour. Recommendations for Research or Practice For upstream social marketing, the finding that perceived reward value mediates monetisation schemes and addictive behaviour means that interventions should not only target the behavioural outcomes of gaming addiction (e.g., excessive screen time, overspending) but also the structural mechanisms that fuel these behaviours. It provides leverage for upstream social marketers to advocate policy reforms and industry standards that limit manipulative reward framing.