Online gaming has become a popular all-day leisure activity, with many players willing to spend money to boost their character and improve their gaming experience. However, children and adolescents, who are still developing their mental and self-control skills, can quickly become addicted to these games, leading to “topping up” money endlessly.
The Consumer Council recently received a complaint from a parent whose 13-year-old son had spent HK$90,000 (US$11,465) in 20 days and was seeking a refund.
According to the Consumer Council, Ms. Leung, the complainant, did not take the necessary steps to safeguard her 13-year-old son’s smart device by installing a parental control app. As a result, she discovered that her son had spent nearly HK$90,000 within just 20 days on virtual props for several mobile phone games.
The son spent approximately HK$59,000 (US$7,515) on virtual props for different mobile games through the electronic payment platform and around HK$31,000 (US$3,950) directly on mobile games operated by another company.
The dissatisfied complainant sought a refund from a game developer but received only HK$4,000 (US$510), leading her to turn to the Consumer Council for assistance.
She was discontented that an electronic payment platform allowed underage individuals to open accounts and make payments. The e-payment platform enabled minors to make purchases, which prompted her to seek help.
However, the payment platform defended itself by disclosing that the complainant’s son had transferred money to his e-payment wallet by accessing her online banking account. According to the company’s service agreement, if a user under 18 agreed to the agreement, the user would be considered to have brought it to the notice of their parents, who would be deemed to have read and accepted the terms of the agreement. The company would not be held accountable for any losses incurred by underage users while using the service.
Following an investigation by the Consumer Council, the app store platform ultimately agreed to a one-time refund of HK$59,000 (US$7,515) as a special arrangement.
The complainant also reported to the council that the other game provider had arranged a separate refund of approximately HK$31,000 (US$3,950), ultimately resolving the case.
Mr. Kwan, a mainland player, filed another complaint after he lost equipment, props, and game coins from his account, amounting to a loss of about HK$24,000 (US$3,057).
Upon investigation, the company found that the thief sold the items to a third-party player. Therefore, the company refused to compensate the complainant, holding the thief responsible for the loss. In response to the complainant’s case, the Consumer Council suggested the complainant should seek legal advice before proceeding.
The Consumer Council warns that players may face unpleasant experiences while participating in games, such as poor user experience or even account theft. These issues can lead to various consumer disputes.
To safeguard the rights of consumers, the Consumer Council suggests that the government introduce a regulatory mechanism that regulates the odds of winning, sales practices, refund policies, and consumer protection for minors in online games. The government can take inspiration from other regions’ approaches to create an effective mechanism that ensures fair play for all.
Additionally, game providers should increase transparency in their operations by clearly indicating the winning odds of each character or product. They should also introduce a “guarantee mechanism” to ensure consumers have a reasonable chance of winning for the money spent.
Furthermore, The Consumer Council recommended that game providers improve the accessibility of parental controls for managing their children’s accounts.
The game providers can achieve this by implementing features such as setting limits on the number of transactions and the transaction amounts and controlling the duration of usage.
In addition, it is essential to enhance the security of user accounts by introducing more robust authentication measures, including dual authentication and other login methods.
By taking these steps, game providers can strengthen consumer protection and foster a safer and more secure gaming environment for users.
