If you feel that your rights as a young person are not being respected, you can contact the Safe Internet Helpline in Portugal (800 21 90 90), which will help you make a complaint or contact the relevant authority. 
Helplines are available all over Europe – find your national helpline here. 

Pay-to-win

In a pay-to-win game, players are asked to invest money to progress and gain benefits, such as exclusive items or improved features. Video game marketing teams often use tactics such as 'limited time offers' to encourage players to make impulsive purchases by suggesting they might miss out on rare, exclusive items, or speed up their progress. 

They often use psychological strategies such as fear of missing out (FOMO), social pressure and the desire for competition to increase spending. This creates an unfair imbalance between players who pay and those who don't. 

Battle passes 

A battle pass is a feature in many games that allows players to unlock rewards— such as skins, weapons or in-game currency – by completing certain challenges. Some rewards are free, but the best rewards are usually hidden behind a paid version of the pass. While battle passes can be a fun way to earn prizes, they are often designed to encourage continuous consumption. They are usually valid for a limited amount of time, or a season (one month, two months, or sometimes longer). For example, the website Simply put Psych discusses the concerns surrounding battle passes, pointing out problems such as the exploitation of psychological weaknesses, FOMO and the pressure to constantly play. 

Loot boxes

Loot boxes are surprise packages that you find in video games. 

It’s like unwrapping a present — you might find new equipment for your character or attribute upgrades that make them stronger. You can unlock these boxes during the game, or buy them with real money from the in-game shop. As the rewards are completely random, loot boxes are often likened to a game of chance, where players spend money to increase their chances of gaining rare in-game benefits. Loot boxes are intentionally designed to make players spend more than they realise — for example, the most coveted items rarely appear. 

Virtual currencies

Virtual currencies can be used to buy a skin, an item, or something that provides an advantage in the game. They are the main means of transaction and give players access to a variety of exclusive items. Game developers give their virtual currencies distinctive names so that they can be easily associated with the respective game. Access to these currencies is usually gained via conventional payment methods or by completing challenges. 

“Giving away a console is not like giving away a toy car” 

Interview with Tiago Sousa, Director General of the Association of Video Game Producers and Distributors, a partner of the Portuguese Safer Internet Centre. 

What are the risks of in-game purchases for young people? 

When you give a young person a console, you're giving them something very sophisticated — it’s not just a toy. Parental responsibility plays a very important role. The industry has tools and self-regulatory initiatives such as the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) rating system that allows parents and caregivers to enable certain features so that games are played in a healthy and safe way. Examples include enabling or disabling online chats or customising in-game purchases. 

What are the main concerns about these video game models? 

According to European studies, the number of games containing purchasing elements has decreased in recent years - contrary to what people may think. 

In the studies conducted, 76 per cent of parents and caregivers stated that no expenditure was made beyond the initial purchase of the game. Across Europe, parents know that these additional purchases have not been made, and PEGI has categorised only 2 per cent out of 40,000 games as having loot boxes. In freemium games, reaching higher levels or acquiring certain items often comes at a cost. An adult has the freedom to choose — but for a young person, such decisions should ideally be discussed with their parents. This is the perspective we are putting forward: parental supervision is crucial. 

What steps can be taken to raise awareness in society? 

It is important to raise awareness about the tools already in place to provide accurate information and reduce the impact of misleading media interpretations. PEGI labels all games with the words “in-game purchases”, both in physical shops and on digital platforms. Apple also has its own age rating system. This information is already available — it is up to the industry, as we have gradually done, to raise awareness through various means, be it digital or traditional media. 

According to the studies, parents are aware that these tools exist and can use them with their children to avoid unwanted situations. The industry has a social responsibility to improve and fulfil the expectations of the public. And on the parents' side, caution is needed: a console cannot be compared to a toy car. 

Anything else you would like to add? 

I would say that a visit to our website can be a useful source of information for anyone who wants to better understand the tools available — not only for parental control, but also to explore the potential of video games in the classroom and to access guides aimed at making games as inclusive as possible. We have a wide range of materials to support anyone who wants to familiarise themselves with these tools — they exist, and they can very easily help to avoid these types of situations. 

Learn more about manipulative marketing practices in gaming on the BIK AdWiseOnline campaign page. 

Find more information about the work of the Portuguese Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.