Instilling Awareness for Loot Boxes and Gambling-inducement Risks in Video Games Through CCE Lessons

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong, Hougang

Question

To ask 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.

Response

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.