Based on the research of Luke Clark, associate professor at the University of British Columbia.
Loot Box Risk Test (RLI)
Do loot boxes draw you into repeated opening and chasing rewards?
Loot boxes offer randomized in-game rewards that can enhance gameplay, but for some players, opening them can turn into a pattern of chasing elusive items or losing track of time and money.
Based on the Risky Loot Box Index (RLI) developed by Gabriel A. Brooks and Luke Clark at the University of British Columbia in 2019, this assessment evaluates risky behaviors associated with purchasing and earning loot boxes.
Do you find yourself playing longer or spending more just to open another box? To take the test, enter your responses below.
Question 1 of 5
I have bought more Loot Boxes after failing to receive valuable items.
| Disagree | Agree |
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The Risky Loot Box Index (RLI) was created by researchers Gabriel A. Brooks and Luke Clark at the University of British Columbia to provide a standardized tool for studying how players interact with randomized reward mechanics. In modern video games, loot boxes can often be earned through gameplay or purchased directly with real money. While many players treat them as minor cosmetic perks, their uncertain outcomes can sometimes encourage repeated attempts to secure rare or desirable virtual items. The RLI focuses on specific behavioral patterns, such as chasing missed rewards, extending play sessions, and feeling compelled to continue opening boxes.
Risky loot box engagement is scored along a single dimension that summarizes endorsement of five behaviors involving repeated opening, extra play, purchases, and postponed activities. In everyday gaming, higher scores can reflect buying more after disappointing openings or delaying responsibilities to earn or buy extra boxes. Players who score high often notice an urge or thrill associated with the opening sequence itself, sometimes leading them to play longer than intended. Lower scores mean fewer of these five experiences were endorsed; the test cannot establish what someone does in every game or whether they have ever used loot boxes. General impulsivity is a broader tendency across settings, whereas this index asks specifically about loot boxes.
Published research shows meaningful links between risky loot box engagement and broader behavioral patterns. In Brooks and Clark's foundational 2019 study, higher scores on the RLI correlated with greater problem-gambling severity and gambling-related cognitive beliefs among adult gamers. Subsequent investigations, such as a 2026 study in Scientific Reports by Lelonek-Kuleta and colleagues involving 1,358 adult loot box users, also observed positive associations between RLI scores, spending levels, gaming difficulties, and elevated perceived stress. These are group-level associations; they do not establish that loot boxes cause gambling problems for an individual. Internet gaming disorder concerns wider gaming behavior and should not be inferred from this score.
To offer helpful context, this test displays comparison reference markers derived from published research data. Specifically, the benchmark reflects findings from the 2026 Lelonek-Kuleta study, which reported average scores among Polish adult gamers who had opened loot boxes within the past year. The comparison marker is an estimate calculated from rounded subgroup means: 13.86 among 803 women and 13.57 among 555 men, yielding about 13.74 across the five items. The data were collected in 2020. These comparison markers are estimates from published study data, not validated norms for everyone. The reference is not a clinical threshold; engagement patterns may differ across gaming communities and habits.
Reflecting on your loot box habits can help you maintain healthy boundaries around gaming time and discretionary spending. If you notice persistent urges to open boxes, reflecting on your time and spending boundaries may help you decide whether to change a habit. Compulsive shopping looks at buying behavior beyond games; it is different from the loot-box experiences listed here.
This test is designed strictly for educational and self-reflective purposes and does not provide a psychological diagnosis, financial advice, or medical evaluation. A high score indicates strong endorsement of risky engagement behaviors rather than a clinical condition, while a low score does not guarantee immunity from gaming-related difficulties. This assessment is based on the Risky Loot Box Index (RLI) by Brooks and Clark and is not affiliated with the original researchers or their academic institutions.
References
- Gidron, Y. (2016). Addictive Behaviors. In Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Loot Box Risk Test measure?
The test measures risky loot box use and behaviors associated with purchasing and earning in-game rewards across five specific questions.
What result does the Loot Box Risk Test provide?
It summarizes how strongly you endorsed five risky loot box behaviors. It cannot predict harm or diagnose a condition.
Who created the research behind the Loot Box Risk Test?
It is based on the Risky Loot Box Index developed by Gabriel A. Brooks and Luke Clark at the University of British Columbia.
Can the Loot Box Risk Test provide a clinical diagnosis?
No, this self-report tool serves as a personal reflection instrument rather than a formal clinical diagnosis of gaming behavior.
How should someone answer the Loot Box Risk Test accurately?
If you have opened loot boxes, answer based on your actual habits. If you have never used them, the score has limited meaning.
Why Use This Test?
1. Free. You can complete this assessment without cost or registration and receive your results instantly.
2. Serious foundations. Based on the peer-reviewed Risky Loot Box Index developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia.
3. Readable results. Your score is summarized in a clear visual chart alongside research-sample benchmarks to help you understand your gaming habits.