Journals / Current Addiction Research / 2026 / Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2

Gamblification Mechanisms and the Risk of Addiction among Adolescents

OYUNLAŞTIRILMIŞ KUMAR MEKANIZMALARI VE ERGENLERDE BAĞIMLILIK RISKI

Ozan Kayar(ÇANKIRI KARATEKİN ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-1269-3719
Pages
5–7
Publication Date
2026-01-21
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

In light of this gap, the academic community, policymakers, educators, and clinicians should develop a shared awareness and implement comprehensive measures to protect adolescents.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Online games today are not merely a means of entertainment or socialization for adolescents, but rather a risky domain that fosters addictive behaviors.
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Key Findings & Data:While the digital gaming industry has reached a multibillion-dollar scale, this growth has been driven by technological advances as well as design strategies referred to as “gamblification.” Random reward systems embedded in popular games provide cosmetic features alongside competitive advantages, creating a perception of “easy winning” and integrating gambling dynamics into the gaming experience.
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Conclusion & Impact:In light of this gap, the academic community, policymakers, educators, and clinicians should develop a shared awareness and implement comprehensive measures to protect adolescents.
🔬Design:Editöre Mektup
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Çevrim içi oyun · davranışsal bağımlılık · ergenler

Abstract

Online games today are not merely a means of entertainment or socialization for adolescents, but rather a risky domain that fosters addictive behaviors. While the digital gaming industry has reached a multibillion-dollar scale, this growth has been driven by technological advances as well as design strategies referred to as “gamblification.” Random reward systems embedded in popular games provide cosmetic features alongside competitive advantages, creating a perception of “easy winning” and integrating gambling dynamics into the gaming experience. Research indicates that when combined with the need for social approval and competitive pressure, these mechanisms lead adolescents to repeated attempts; moreover, linking game progression directly to such systems normalizes gambling-like behaviors and reinforces tendencies toward addiction. Although some countries have introduced concrete regulatory measures in this field, a systematic legal framework has not yet been established in Türkiye. In light of this gap, the academic community, policymakers, educators, and clinicians should develop a shared awareness and implement comprehensive measures to protect adolescents.

Özet

Çevrim içi oyunlar, günümüzde ergenler için yalnızca bir eğlence ya da sosyalleşme alanı değil, aynı zamanda bağımlılık davranışlarına zemin hazırlayan riskli bir mecra haline gelmiştir. Dijital oyun endüstrisi milyarlarca dolarlık bir hacme ulaşırken, bu büyümede teknolojik ilerlemeler kadar “oyunlaştırılmış kumar” adı verilen tasarım stratejileri önemli rol oynamıştır. Popüler oyunlardaki rastlantısal ödül sistemleri, görsel ve estetik ögelerle birlikte rekabet avantajı sağlayan unsurlar sunarak “kolay kazanma” algısı yaratmakta ve kumar dinamiklerini oyun deneyimine entegre etmektedir. Araştırmalar, bu mekanizmaların sosyal onay ihtiyacı ve rekabet baskısıyla birleştiğinde ergenleri tekrar eden denemelere yönelttiğini; oyunda ilerlemenin doğrudan bu sistemlere bağlanmasının ise kumar benzeri davranışları normalleştirerek bağımlılık eğilimini güçlendirdiğini göstermektedir. Uluslararası ölçekte bazı ülkeler bu alanda somut düzenlemeler geliştirmiş olsa da Türkiye’de sistematik bir yasal çerçeve henüz oluşturulmamıştır. Bu boşluk karşısında akademik camia, politika yapıcılar, eğitimciler ve klinisyenler ortak bir duyarlılık geliştirmeli; gençlerin korunmasına yönelik kapsamlı önlemler alınmalıdır.

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Cite This Article

Kayar, O. (2026). Gamblification Mechanisms and the Risk of Addiction among Adolescents. Current Addiction Research, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2, 5–7. https://doi.org/10.32739/car.2025.9.2.236

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References (5)

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