Youth Problem Gaming & Gambling Services

 We begin with detailed evaluation of gaming/gambling behavior: time spent, context, triggers, co-occurring emotional/behavioral issues, school/family impact. 

 Using age-appropriate methods, we engage youth in therapy to:

• Identify the why behind excessive gaming/gambling (escape, boredom, peer pressure, mood regulation)
   
• Learn healthier coping strategies for stress, mood, peer/online pressures
   
• Apply structured approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to challenge and replace unhelpful patterns of play or wagering.
   
• Address any co-occurring conditions like anxiety, ADHD, substance use, or depression.

Because gaming/gambling behavior lives in the context of family, school and peer systems, we bring families into the process:

• Improving communication around devices, screen-time, money, boundaries
   
• Structuring a healthy home environment for digital behavior regulation
   
• Setting realistic, enforceable expectations and routines.

We help youth replace unhealthy digital behavior with:

• Balanced routines (sleep, exercise, offline social engagement)
   
• Life-skills: decision making, problem solving, impulse control
   
• Peer/mentor connection in real life, not only online.

We support youths long-term with:

• Monitoring and adjusting screen/gaming habits
   
• Maintenance goals for healthy digital use
   
• Ongoing check-ins, booster sessions, family check-ins.

No — many youth play games socially, for fun and stress relief. It becomes a problem when it takes over life, responsibilities, relationships or health. 

A loot box is a virtual item in a video game that can be opened to reveal randomized rewards, such as weapons, character skins, gear, power-ups, or other in-game items. Players often don’t know what they’ll get until they open it, and the items have varying levels of rarity — creating a “chance-based reward” system similar to gambling.

Loot boxes can usually be:

• Earned through gameplay (by reaching certain milestones),
   
• Purchased with in-game currency earned through play, or
   
• Bought with real money — often using small, repeated microtransactions.

 Loot boxes exploit the same psychological mechanisms as gambling, including anticipation, randomness, and the “near miss” effect. Many are designed with bright colors, sound effects, and animation sequences that mirror slot-machine experiences. Youth are especially vulnerable to these designs because of their developing impulse control and heightened sensitivity to reward feedback. In some countries (e.g., Belgium, Netherlands), loot boxes have been classified as gambling and restricted by law.

• FIFA / EA Sports FC (Electronic Arts) – “Ultimate Team” packs contain randomized player cards.
   
• Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment) – Cosmetic loot boxes with random skins, sprays, and emotes.
   
• Apex Legends (Electronic Arts) – Loot boxes called “Apex Packs.”
   
• Call of Duty: Warzone / Modern Warfare (Activision) – Randomized supply drops and bundles.
   
• Counter-Strike 2 (Valve) – “Weapon cases” that require keys purchased with real money.
   
• PUBG: Battlegrounds (Krafton) – Crates with randomized cosmetic rewards.
   
• Fortnite (Epic Games) – Previously had randomized “Llama” loot boxes; now uses transparent item previews.
   
• Rocket League (Psyonix) – Replaced traditional loot boxes with “blueprints,” but still features monetized chance-based rewards.
   
• Genshin Impact (HoYoverse) – “Gacha” system with random draws for characters and weapons.
   
• Diablo Immortal (Blizzard/NetEase) – Randomized gear and gem rewards tied to microtransactions.
   

• Clash Royale (Supercell) – Randomized “chests” with cards and upgrades.
   
• Brawl Stars (Supercell) – “Brawl Boxes” that contain characters or upgrades.
   
• AFK Arena / Summoners War / RAID: Shadow Legends – “Gacha” draws for characters.
   
• Roblox (various user-created games) – Many experiences sell randomized in-game items.
   
• Pokémon Unite – Randomized cosmetic and item boxes.

• They normalize gambling-like behavior in non-gambling contexts.
   
• They often blur the line between skill and chance, leading players to overestimate control.
   
• Many young players spend real money impulsively, often without parental awareness.
   
• Research shows a strong correlation between loot box spending and gambling problems in teens and young adults.