Do I Qualify for Legal Representation?
If you or a loved one has suffered due to video game addiction or internet gaming disorder, you may qualify for legal representation. Many individuals experience severe personal, emotional, and financial harm linked to excessive gaming, often due to predatory game design practices that exploit psychological vulnerabilities.
To determine your eligibility for legal representation, please review the following minimum criteria to qualify:
- Must be 25 or younger.
- Played 15 hours per week with Internet Gaming Disorder symptoms lasting 12 months or more
- Gamer Tag for X Box, PlayStation, Roblox, Steam
If you meet all of the criteria above you may qualify for representation. Please fill out our contact form or call us to learn more about your options.
Note – If you do not meet ALL of these conditions above you will not qualify for representation.
Important Details About Video Game Addiction & Internet Gaming Disorder
Video game addiction and internet gaming disorder (IGD) are growing concerns recognized by health and legal experts worldwide. As gaming has become more accessible and immersive, it has also led to significant psychological and social challenges for many individuals.
What is Internet Gaming Disorder?
Internet Gaming Disorder is a behavioral addiction recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). It involves excessive and compulsive gaming habits that interfere with daily life. While not yet universally classified as a formal disorder in all countries, IGD is widely acknowledged as a legitimate concern by mental health professionals.
How Video Games Can Be Addictive
Modern video games are often designed using mechanics that can foster addiction:
- Reward Systems: Games frequently use variable reward schedules to trigger dopamine release, similar to gambling mechanisms.
- Loot Boxes and Microtransactions: These features encourage compulsive spending and repeat engagement.
- Social Pressure: Multiplayer games leverage social networks, creating a fear of missing out (FOMO) or pressure to keep up with peers.
- Always-On Accessibility: Mobile and online platforms ensure games are available at any time, increasing dependency.
Health and Legal Implications
- Health Impact: Prolonged gaming can lead to physical issues like sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and musculoskeletal problems, as well as mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.
- Legal Accountability: Game developers may face lawsuits for designing games with addictive mechanics or for marketing unsafe content to minors. Cases often focus on the lack of safeguards against excessive use or exploitative monetization practices.
Common Video Game Addiction Symptoms (American Psychiatric Association)
- Preoccupation with gaming
- Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability)
- Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge
- Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming
- Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming
- Continuing to game despite problems
- Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming
- The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness
- Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming
By understanding these details, affected individuals and their families can take steps to protect their well-being and pursue justice.