23 June 2025

CPRC WELCOMES REGULATORY FOCUS ON DIGITAL GAMING RISKS

The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) welcomes the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) final Digital Platforms Inquiry report, released today, which acknowledges key risks facing consumers—particularly children—in online and mobile gaming.

Deputy CEO and Digital Policy Director, Chandni Gupta said that the ACCC’s recommendations send a strong and positive signal that regulators are listening and taking harmful design choices seriously.

“It’s now time for Government to take decisive action. The ACCC’s latest report shows that Australia’s laws are failing to prevent harm from large digital platforms, with issues ranging from competition harms to specific design practices in gaming. We need stronger laws and more powers for our regulator to create a fair online world,” Ms Gupta said.

The ACCC’s recommendations draw extensively on CPRC’s research, with reports Duped by Design, Let Me Out and Playing the Player cited throughout the inquiry’s findings.

“This report represents a significant step forward in addressing the often sophisticated and harmful design practices that are exploiting Australians.

“Among the ACCC’s recommended measures are reforms to improve transparency around loot boxes and in-game currencies and reducing the risk of accidental or unauthorised spending. If implemented, these reforms would create fairer and safer online gaming experiences for all Australians.” Ms Gupta said.

CPRC’s recent research report, “Playing the Player,” revealed the stark reality facing Australian gamers. While Australians turn to digital games to relax and unwind, their experience in many games leads to the completely opposite effect:

• 83% of Australians who play digital games report a negative impact due to dark game patterns with 46% experiencing direct financial loss.
• 42% of players who incurred some form of loss did nothing, reflecting limited avenues to complain or seek support and leaving many players to suffer in silence.
• Many of the games we identified with manipulative practices targeted children players – some of these games for children included gambling-like features such as games of chance, loot boxes and multiple in-game currencies that make it difficult to track actual spend.
• Most harm arises from tactics such as embedding hidden costs, offering disingenuous freemiums, integrating subscription traps into the cancellation process and nudging players to provide more personal information than is necessary for the game.

“Australians, including children, are being exposed to increasingly sophisticated and harmful game design practices. The evidence is clear, the regulatory pathway is established—now we need legislative action to strengthen protections and hold digital platforms accountable,” Ms Gupta said.

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CPRC
Liliana Campos
Communications Manager
T: +61 (0) 493 539 466
E: liliana.campos@cprc.org.au