Instilling Awareness for Loot Boxes and Gambling-inducement Risks in Video Games Through CCE Lessons
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong’s inquiry regarding the educational stages at which loot box and gacha mechanics are introduced and whether gambling-inducement risks should be mandatory in the Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum. Minister Desmond Lee clarified that Cyber Wellness is a mandatory core component of CCE from primary to pre-university levels, teaching students to be safe and responsible online. He noted that upper primary students focus on self-control regarding in-game purchases, while secondary students learn to guard against risks associated with gaming mechanics. While specific lessons on loot box risks are currently taught in Secondary 5, the Ministry of Education intends to bring these topics forward to the lower secondary level. Minister Desmond Lee also emphasized the essential role of parents in monitoring online activities and spending, as schools work with them to protect students from online harms.
Transcript
20 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Education (a) at which specific educational stages the Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum introduces the risks of loot boxes and gacha mechanics; and (b) whether the Ministry plans to make the treatment of gambling-inducement risks in video games a mandatory, rather than optional, component of the Cyber Wellness curriculum.
Mr Desmond Lee: Students from primary to pre-university levels attend Cyber Wellness lessons, which are part of the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum. These lessons equip them with age-appropriate skills to be safe and responsible users online.
Through Cyber Wellness lessons, students also learn that some online games feature gambling-like elements. At upper primary, they learn about self-control, particularly to resist over-spending on in-game purchases. At the secondary level, students learn to identify and guard against the risks associated with online gaming and gaming mechanics. These topics are core elements of the Cyber Wellness curriculum and are not optional. However, the specific lessons to help students understand the mechanics and risks of loot boxes and how to navigate such risks are currently taught in Secondary 5, and we intend to bring it earlier to lower secondary.
Children take time to develop self-management and control. Parents play a key role in guiding and monitoring their child's online activities as well as controlling their on-line purchases. Schools will continue to work with parents to guide their children and protect them from online harms.