The present study aims to bridge the gap regarding the potential influence of problem gaming on problem gambling (PG) by examining the potential indirect effect of risky loot box use in this relationship. We also aim to examine these relationships in an understudied cultural context, that is, Eastern European, thus enlarging the current geographical scope of the research on problematic gaming and gambling. The research was conducted on a sample of 703 Romanians (56.5 percent male, 43.5 percent female), aged between 18 and 46 (M = 23.07; SD = 5.24), who play video games frequently. They completed instruments measuring problem gaming, online PG, and purchasing loot boxes risk. Our findings also indicate that risky engagement with loot box mechanism had a significant indirect effect on the association between the two types of problematic behavior (i.e., gaming and gambling). This suggests that excessive involvement in online gaming is linked with an increased propensity for problematic use of loot boxes, and further with a higher risk of PG. Our results indicate that higher involvement in video gaming may be associated with higher levels of risky engagement, which could plausibly lead to a greater likelihood of purchasing them and this more problematic relationship with loot boxes further increases the risk of PG. Our study contributes to advancing knowledge about these constructs while suggesting the negative impact of loot boxes in that their acquisition is related to higher involvement in online gambling.

中文翻译：

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今天的游戏玩家是明天的赌徒吗？问题游戏与在线问题赌博之间的关系，以及购买战利品箱风险的间接影响。


本研究旨在通过检查风险战利品箱使用在这种关系中的潜在间接影响，弥合关于问题游戏对问题赌博 （PG） 的潜在影响的差距。我们还旨在在研究不足的文化背景（即东欧）中研究这些关系，从而扩大当前问题游戏和赌博研究的地理范围。该研究对 703 名年龄在 18 至 46 岁之间的罗马尼亚人（56.5% 为男性，43.5% 为女性）的样本进行（M = 23.07;SD = 5.24），他们经常玩电子游戏。他们完成了测量问题游戏、在线 PG 和购买战利品箱风险的仪器。我们的研究结果还表明，冒险参与战利品箱机制对两种类型的问题行为（即游戏和赌博）之间的关联产生了显着的间接影响。这表明，过度参与在线游戏与战利品箱有问题使用的倾向增加有关，并且与 PG 的风险更高有关。我们的结果表明，对视频游戏的参与度越高，风险参与度越高，这很可能导致购买它们的可能性更大，而这种与战利品箱的这种更有问题的关系进一步增加了 PG 的风险。我们的研究有助于增进对这些结构的了解，同时表明战利品箱的负面影响，因为它们的获得与在线赌博的参与度更高有关。