British parents may face shocking bills while their children are off school, as they could rack up massive costs by making in-game purchases and gaming online.
Experts have projected that arguments between parents and children in the UK regarding online gaming and screen time would escalate quickly with local schools remaining closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Concerns regarding the increasing interest of underage individuals in computer, console and video games have been unveiled by some British charities.
According to a recent report unveiled by Ofcom’s adults’ media, almost 50% of parents of children aged between 12 and 15 who play online games, including Fifa, Fortnite, Minecraft, etc., have shared their concerns about their children being targeted and encouraged by gaming operators to make in-game purchases.
The past few years have seen a massive increase in in-game purchases. For the time being, the British online gaming market is based primarily on downloadable games, with their software subject to updates at any time, including new content or special game features available at any time. Such updates, however, come at extra cost, known as micro-transactions. These games and gaming apps are also often linked to the bank accounts of parents. What is even more dangerous, is the fact that even downloadable games and apps that are supposedly free of charge often offer special features and incentives for players, encouraging them to make in-game purchases.
Gaming Operators Encourage Underage Individuals to Purchase In-Game Items
What is now found concerning by some charities aimed at helping parents and their children, is the fact that underage individuals can easily generate large costs on their parents’ debit or credit cards, sometimes even without the parents’ knowledge. In such cases, it could be difficult, and even impossible, for parents to claim back the money spent by their children on in-game items and special features. For the time being, there is no regulatory body or arbitrator for them to turn to in case they want to file a complaint.
Gaming and gambling operators, however, have been responding to complaints with the argument that there are currently various parental and technological controls to make sure unauthorised debit and credit card transactions are blocked, and yet, a 2019 survey of NSPCC found that only one in five parents actually take advantage of these controls.
Following an increasing number of complaints that parents were unable to use the aforementioned controls on mobile devices connected to the Internet, the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) launched its Get Smart About Play campaign in January 2020, aimed at informing parents of the controls available.
According to ParentZone, about 75% of British children felt that online video game providers encouraged them to make payments, while about 50% of the underage individuals shared that games were only fun when they spend money to buy special features and items.
- Author
Daniel Williams
