A recent study conducted by the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences has shed light on the spending habits of Austrian teenagers in free-to-play games. Published on August 21 in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, the research surveyed 2,308 students aged 10 to 19, of which 818 had made in-game purchases in the past year.
The researchers categorized the respondents based on their spending and compared the top 10% of spenders, known as 'whales', with the rest. Here are some key findings highlighted by iGN:
- 61.4% of all spending came from the top spenders, who each spent at least €400 annually on in-game purchases.
- 14.7% of total spending was attributed to 3.9% of spenders showing signs of gambling addiction.
- Average spending among the top spenders was €1,005 per year.
- The average spending across all respondents was €169.9.
- 14.1% of top spenders exhibited signs of gaming disorder, compared to 4.2% among regular spenders.
- Peak spending occurred among those aged 15-16.
- Interestingly, family wealth did not affect spending levels; teenagers from less affluent families spent just as much.
It is important to note that this study captures a snapshot in time and does not establish a causal relationship between spending and disorders. Data on gambling addiction signs were obtained from a subsample of 103 teenagers.