Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between personality traits, impulsive behaviors and gambling tendencies among individuals who invest in cryptocurrency.Methods: The study was cross-sectional and correlational. Data were collected both online and face-to-face between September 2022 and March 2023 from 300 individuals registered at a financial center who met the inclusion criteria. Four scales were used: the Descriptive Information Form, the South Oaks Gambling Screening Scale, the Five-Factor Personality Scale, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the data.Results: The mean age of the individuals who participated in the study was 31.68±8.06 years. 79.3% of the individuals were male, 49.7% were single and 39.3% had children. While there was a statistically significant, positive correlation between the South Oaks Gambling Screening Scale scores and the agreeableness subscale scores among individuals who invest in cryptocurrency (p
AuraOS Second Prior Art Disclosure (N9–N13): Holographic Headers, Gas‑Free Fractal Ledger, Swarm Mesh, Decoupled VR Rendering, and Interactive Narrative FST. This paper extends the AuraOS sovereign cognitive substrate with five new claims. N9 embeds a 1.2 KB hyperdimensional snapshot of the entire codebase into every file header, enabling O(1) integrity verification. N10 replaces blockchain gas fees with RAM‑staking and Proof‑of‑Presence derived from device entropy. N11 describes a swarm mesh for collective learning, elastic distributed compute, and zero‑trust routing. N12 introduces VSA‑addressed decoupled rendering, where a smartphone controls photorealistic VR/AR worlds by sending only hyperdimensional addresses (not assets). N13 presents an FST‑constrained interactive movie/game engine where NPCs use generative dialogue within narrative bounds, and player actions (including free speech) change the story. All claims are published under AGPLv3 §13 to prevent corporate capture.
يتناول هذا البحث مسألة حماية الهوية الثقافية للأسرة في ظل التحولات التي أفرزتها البيئة الرقمية اللامركزية في عصر الشابكة اللامركزية (Web3). ولم يعد أثر التطور الرقمي مقتصراً على الجوانب التقنية البحتة، بل امتد إلى المجالات القيمية والتربوية التي تمارس الأسرة من خلالها وظيفتها في التنشئة الاجتماعية، ونقل الموروثات، وترسيخ المرجعيات الثقافية بين الأجيال. ويهدف البحث إلى بيان طبيعة الأثر الذي تمارسه هذه البيئة الرقمية في إعادة تشكيل المجال الثقافي داخل الأسرة، مع تحليل الإشكالات القانونية التي يثيرها هذا التحول، ولا سيما ما يتصل بمدى كفاية التشريعات التقليدية لمواكبة هذه التغيرات. وتعتمد الدراسة على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، مع الاستفادة من لمحات مقارنة محدودة، لتقويم فعالية الأطر القانونية القائمة. وقد خلصت إلى أن الأدوات القانونية التقليدية لم تعد كافية، بمفردها، لضمان حماية الهوية الثقافية للأسرة، وأن المرحلة الراهنة تقتضي مقاربة قانونية متوازنة تقوم على الوقاية المسبقة، وتقييم المخاطر، والتصميم الآمن للمنصات الرقمية، مع توزيع واضح للمسؤوليات بين مختلف الفاعلين في الفضاء الرقمي، ومراعاة المصلحة الفضلى للطفل، وتحقيق التوازن بين الانفتاح الرقمي، والحفاظ على البعد الثقافي للأسرة، بما يعزز قدرتها على صون قيمها، وتماسكها في وجه التحولات المتسارعة. This study examines the protection of the family’s cultural identity in light of the transformations produced by the decentralized digital environment in the era of Web3. Digital influence is no longer confined to purely technical aspects; rather, it now extends to the value-based and educational spheres through which the family carries out its role in socialization, transmitting heritage, and consolidating cultural references across generations. The study aims to clarify the nature of this environment’s impact on reshaping the family’s cultural sphere while analyzing the legal challenges arising from this transformation, particularly those related to the adequacy of traditional legal frameworks. It adopts a descriptive-analytical approach, supported by limited comparative insights, to assess the effectiveness of existing legal frameworks. The study concludes that traditional legal tools are no longer sufficient on their own to effectively protect the family’s cultural identity. Instead, the current stage requires a balanced legal approach grounded in prevention, risk assessment, secure-by-design principles, clear allocation of responsibilities among digital actors, consideration of the child’s best interests, and preservation of the family’s cultural dimension.
In approximately the year 2000, the author conceived and partially implemented a multi-layered community economic system centered on Shibuya, Tokyo. The system integrated real-time human broadcasting, local media production, a unified community coupon currency, youth-driven cultural monitoring, and digital education — years before the terminology of "DAO," "Web3," "UGC," or "creator economy" existed. This paper documents that original conception, analyzes its structural architecture, and demonstrates its direct lineage to the author's current work: the Hikari Currency (光貨) ecosystem and the ECHO AI Artist platform. The Shibuya system was not understood by contemporaries. It is understood now.
The rapid collapse of decentralized game economies, often characterized by the \textit{death spiral,} remains the most formidable barrier to the mass adoption of Web3 gaming. This paper proposes that the sustainability of an open game economy is predicated on three necessary and sufficient conditions: Anti-Sybil Resilience, Anti-Capital Dominance, and Anti-Inflationary Saturation. The first section establishes a theoretical proof of these conditions, arguing that the absence of any single dimension leads to systemic failure. The second section explores the dialectical relationship between these dimensions, illustrating how unchecked automation and capital-driven monopolies accelerate asset hyperinflation. In the third section, we introduce the Identity-Bound Asset Integrity Model (IBAIM) as a comprehensive technical solution. IBAIM utilizes Zero-Knowledge (ZK) biometric hashing and Account Abstraction (AA) to anchor asset utility to unique human identities through a privacy-preserving and regulatory-compliant architecture. By exogenizing biometric verification to trusted local environments and utilizing Zero-Knowledge Proofs of Identity (zk-PoI), the model ensures absolute user privacy. Furthermore, by implementing an Asymmetric Utility Decay (AUD) engine-whereby assets suffer a vertical 50% utility cliff upon secondary transfer-and an entropy-driven thermodynamic degradation mechanism., the model successfully decouples financial speculation from in-game merit. Finally, we apply this framework to analyze prominent historical failures in the GameFi sector, demonstrating that their collapse was an inevitable consequence of violating these core economic constraints. Our findings suggest that trading a degree of asset liquidity for system integrity is the only viable path toward long-term economic viability in decentralized virtual worlds.
Purpose - This study examines how Web3 technologies—including blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and decentralized finance (DeFi)—affect the business models of sports organizations and the engagement behavior of fans. The research evaluates both the revenue and loyalty opportunities created by digital assets and the financial risks and regulatory challenges they introduce. Design/methodology/approach - A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining blockchain analytics, big data and social media monitoring, expert interviews, ethnographic observation of online fan communities, and systematic case analysis of NBA Top Shot, Chiliz/Socios.com, Sorare, and related platforms. Theoretical grounding draws on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) paradigm, the Fan Attitude Network (FAN) model, and Social Identity Theory (SIT). Findings - Fan tokens and NFTs create new revenue streams and deepen supporter loyalty through exclusive access, participatory governance, and gamified interactions. However, empirical evidence reveals high price volatility, speculative investor behavior, misleading marketing, and an unclear regulatory environment that expose fans to financial risk. Emerging markets such as Azerbaijan face additional structural barriers—limited fan culture depth, nascent regulation, and underdeveloped digital infrastructure—that preclude near-term viability of NFT-based fan engagement. Originality/value - This article is among the first to systematically integrate governance, financial risk, and regulatory dimensions of Web3 in sports within a single framework, moving beyond prior work focused narrowly on marketing and financial performance. It offers actionable implications for sports organizations, regulators, and platform developers. Research limitations/implications - The study is constrained by the rapidly evolving nature of Web3 technologies, jurisdictional variation in regulatory frameworks, and limited blockchain data accessibility for some platforms.
In approximately the year 2000, the author conceived and partially implemented a multi-layered community economic system centered on Shibuya, Tokyo. The system integrated real-time human broadcasting, local media production, a unified community coupon currency, youth-driven cultural monitoring, and digital education — years before the terminology of DAO, Web3, UGC, or creator economy existed. This paper documents that original conception, analyzes its structural architecture, and demonstrates its direct lineage to the author's current work: the Hikari Currency ecosystem and the ECHO AI Artist platform.
Jack McGarrigle, Jessica Smith, J. Gwyn Griffiths, Jamie Torrance · 6 authors
Background and aims: Dark patterns are online platform design features that influence consumer behaviour to the advantage of the interface designer. In online gambling, such designs may exacerbate gambling-related harms, particularly among vulnerable consumers. This study aims to provide the first scoping review of dark patterns in online gambling. Methods: Following established scoping review frameworks, we systematically searched databases and grey literature using terms related to dark patterns and online gambling. The review protocol was preregistered. Results: Included articles (n = 16) addressed a variety of gambling-related dark patterns: hidden gambling management tools, inducements with complex conditions, minimum balances required to withdraw funds, unnecessary frictions involved in closing an account, high defaults in stake, deposit, reality check and deposit limit settings, and urgency-based gambling prompts. To address inconsistent terminology across studies, we synthesised existing literature by mapping identified dark patterns to a transdisciplinary framework, providing greater conceptual clarity and direction for future research. Discussions and conclusions: The potential for harm from dark patterns is evident, yet evidence on behavioural impacts is limited, hindered by restricted access to proprietary gambling operator data. Research in this area is sparse and fragmented, often using inconsistent terminology. Future studies should empirically investigate the influence of dark patterns on consumer behaviour, especially among vulnerable populations, and evaluate safer design alternatives. We recommend mandating gambling operators to collaborate with researchers to assess platform safety, and shifting the burden of proof onto operators to demonstrate that their platforms prioritise consumer safety and foster responsible gambling environments.
Arthur Carvalho, Liudmila Zavolokina, Suman Bhunia, Gerhard Schwabe
Regulatory changes have enabled American student-athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). However, only a fraction of the student-athlete population is actually profiting from their NIL, which raises questions concerning fairness and inclusiveness. Motivated by that scenario, we look at technological solutions capable of sharing a limited amount of financial resources fairly and inclusively. Following a design science methodology, we define design requirements for such technological solutions after interviewing student-athletes, which leads us to establish the inclusive-meritocratic fairness criterion. Subsequently, we determine design principles that artifacts aiming at helping student-athletes should satisfy. We find that a solution that satisfies the proposed design principles is to associate student-athletes with digital collectibles represented as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The core idea behind our artifact is that student-athletes receive royalties in primary markets after NFTs are randomly minted, plus deterministic royalties in secondary markets whenever a transaction involving their collectibles happens. Interviews with student-athletes validate our design. We conclude the paper by discussing how our ideas give rise to a new NIL design theory.
Open access
Digital Games and Media
Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
Ho Yeol Yu, Kyu-soo Chung, Anthony D. Pizzo, Sangwon Na · 5 authors
Digital assets have garnered widespread attention for their potential to generate revenues. Grounded in innovation diffusion theory, this study investigated the adoption behavior of esports consumers as it pertains to the application of digital assets, especially non-fungible tokens (NFT) in-game items (i.e., virtual skins and items). The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among innovation adoption, esports identification, and purchase intentions. With a sample of 309 esports gamers, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to test the measurement and hypothesized paths using R-Studio. The results revealed that the innovation adoption of digital assets had a significant impact on purchase intentions. In addition, esports identification was positively associated with purchase intentions, and the moderating effect of esports identification was identified. This novelty of digital assets such as NFTs and their increasing popularity in digital culture will continue to shift public perceptions of digital assets in esports industries. This study has originality and value in that it sheds light on the impact of the adoption behavior of esports consumers in relation to NFT-based in-game items.
Open access
Digital Games and Media
Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
This context informs the conversations with artists and creative practitioners in this book.Often, their work with and around Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) emerges from these very concerns.Does that mean that DAOs are capable of solving the sociopolitical issues of precarity, cuts, and censorship?No. 'Free blockchain money' does not exist.DAOs do not 'magically' make more funding appear, least of all structurally so.And DAOs do not allow artists and cultural practitioners to leave behind their national contexts of austerity and repression and exchange them for some virtual utopia.However, this does not mean that engaging with DAOs is pointless in the face of these circumstances and limitations.In this publication, I ask practitioners to share their experiences, focussing specifically on the definition of new forms of agency in cultural decision-making, explorations of shared ownership in arts and culture amid widespread logics of private property and extractivism, and the making of prefigurative claims on futures envisioned from the bottom up.None of these practices will be able to replace the structures of state funding or cancel oppressive concentrations of power any time soon, but they do open up space to manoeuvre and create tactical interventions, to find each other and build solidarity, and to regain a sense of futurity together.In other words, to reimagine, reclaim, and restructure shared socio-technical futures.The six people that I interviewed represent key voices in the countercultural and artistic DAO space.Penny Rafferty is a cofounder of Black Swan -a DAO that pursued horizontal and decentralised approaches to art-making -and she pushes DAO discourse into new directions with critical and imaginative work.Erik Bordeleau is a co-founder of The Sphere -a DAO that explores new ecologies of funding to develop a regenerative commons for the performing arts -and contributes boundarypushing philosophical and media theoretical perspectives to DAO thought.Ruth Catlow developed CultureStake -a voting system for decentralised cultural decision-making that uses quadratic voting on the blockchain -and has been a central Repression of Palestinian Culture and soidarity: Independence as Resistance,' Reset! 8
Amy Thomas, Maria-Jose Schmidt-Kessen, Simon Karlin
This chapter explores the role of intellectual property (IP) in the commercialisation and regulation of sports and eSports, focussing on copyright, trade marks, and image rights. It outlines how these rights enable key stakeholders - such as sports organisers, players and fans - to assert control over various aspects of sporting content and performances. Though comparative analysis of legal frameworks in Germany, the EU, and the UK, the chapter highlights significant jurisdictional differences in the protection and interpretation of these rights, particularly in relation to the use of player likenesses and ownership of performance outputs. The chapter also investigates how new technologies, including generative artificial intelligence (AI) and Non-Fungible Token (NFTs), might complicate rights-based relationships in both fields. A central theme is the imbalance of rights and bargaining power among stakeholders, especially players, whose creative contributions are often excluded from IP protection. In doing so, the chapter raises normative questions and critical reflections on fairness, enforcement, and contractual practices in the regulation of sports and eSports content.
Jean Baudrillard's (1929–2007) theoretical writings are applied to an examination of today's global virtual economy and society. New advances in virtual culture, which flourished during and after the COVID-19 pandemic—esp., metaverses (immersive virtual worlds), non-fungible tokens, and deepfakes (synthetic media)—are discussed to show the prescience of Baudrillard's theory for how our global consumer society of the image is now defined by the problem of simulation. Baudrillard is shown to have theorized important trends and phenomenon in our contemporary global hyperculture that have hitherto been neglected: non-communication, anti-work, and anti-consumption are, among others, explained as developing phenomena because they are pathologies of a new nihilism, a hatred of capitalism, that is not realized through destruction, but through the simulation and deterrence that now defines contemporary global culture and society.
This study examines how firms in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG) grading industry adapt their business models in response to digital disruption. We employ a qualitative multiple-case design, investigating three leading grading companies – PSA (United States), CCIC (China), and SQC (Thailand) – through 30 in-depth interviews and supplemental document analysis. The findings reveal divergent strategies shaped by both dynamic capabilities and institutional contexts. PSA leverages scale and AI technology to enhance efficiency, CCIC focuses on legitimacy and incremental improvements under regulatory constraints, and SQC pursues exploratory digital initiatives (e.g., NFT-linked trials) to co- create value with its community. These patterns highlight the ambidexterity required for business model innovation in a digitizing niche service sector. The study contributes to business model innovation and digital transformation literature by demonstrating how national institutions and customer engagement influence innovation paths. Practical implications include lessons for balancing core business sustainability with transformative innovation in different regulatory environments.
The integration of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) into the gaming industry has introduced a novel economic model, reshaping monetization strategies and player engagement. This paper analyzes the market potential of NFT integration in video games through a comprehensive approach combining market segmentation, trend analysis, and predictive modeling. Using historical sales data from various genres and platforms, the research identified key segments that show high potential for NFT adoption, particularly action, role-playing, and sports games on mainstream platforms such as PlayStation and Xbox. The market segmentation, achieved through K-Means clustering, revealed distinct groups of video games based on genre, platform, and regional sales performance. Trend analysis using time series models like ARIMA and Prophet highlighted emerging and declining popularity across different genres and platforms. The study also applied predictive modeling techniques, including Random Forest and Gradient Boosting, to forecast the potential success of NFTs in specific game genres. The models demonstrated strong performance, with low mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE), confirming that high-engagement genres are likely to benefit most from NFT integration. The findings suggest that NFTs can enhance player experiences by offering unique, tradable in-game assets, thus creating new revenue streams for developers. The paper concludes by recommending strategies for NFT implementation, targeting high-potential genres and platforms, and addressing regional market preferences. Limitations related to data constraints and emerging trends are discussed, and future research directions are proposed, focusing on consumer sentiment analysis and real-world case studies of NFT integration in video games.
Blockchain platforms used for the exchange of decentralized digital assets regularly attract swindlers, hackers, and scammers. For ‘honest’ traders, such individuals and organizations betray the Anarcho-Libertarian spirit of collaborative experimentation that accompanied the crypto ‘ecosystem’ in the previous decade. Members of the many crypto communities that interact online therefore invest efforts in identifying and then excluding dishonest actors, mainly by digitally tracking accounts and users. Based on fieldwork with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) collectors in London, I will focus on the temporality of such acts of monitoring, which I argue constitute a post-panoptic reality wherein masking becomes intrinsic to interactions online or offline. The analysis rethinks the connection between play, uncertainty, and surveillance in conditions of hypervisibility.
This paper explores the emerging virtual economy with a specific focus on virtual goods and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), examining their unique market dynamics, social relevance, and factors influencing their valuation. The work delves into the role of social dynamics, user engagement, and speculative investments in determining the prices of virtual goods, while also addressing the speculative risks inherent in this digital marketplace. Through case studies like the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), stakeholders highlight how exclusivity, celebrity endorsements, and active community participation shape the perceived value of NFTs. This research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the value drivers in the NFT market and offer strategies for stakeholders to navigate volatility and achieve long-term success in the digital asset ecosystem.
This study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) on the function and potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology with regard to ownership in gaming. We explored theoretical viewpoints, analytical frameworks, measures, relationships, and procedures up to 2024 to examine the relationship between NFTs, blockchain, and ownership in gaming. A four-step methodology (planning, execution, analysis, and reporting) was followed, based on Tranfield et al.'s (2003) approach. The widely adopted PRISMA technique was utilized to ensure transparency and rigor in conducting the systematic literature review. The contribution of this study lies in its exploration of how NFTs and blockchain transform ownership in gaming, marking the first comprehensive SLR on this topic from the standpoint of digital asset ownership transformation. The [*expected*] findings suggest that NFTs and blockchain significantly transform traditional ownership structures in gaming by enabling decentralized, verifiable, and transferable digital assets. However, fully realizing this potential remains challenging. Persistent issues—such as partial rather than complete decentralization, economic inequalities and speculation-driven markets, psychological complexities around player motivation, and technological hurdles like scalability and interoperability—complicate the path toward sustainable NFT-based ecosystems. Adoption appears influenced as much by hype and financial incentives as by informed choice. These insights underscore the necessity for developers, policymakers, and stakeholders to collaborate on clear legal frameworks, robust security measures, equitable economic models, and player-centric designs. In doing so, the gaming industry can foster genuine, enduring ownership experiences that align innovation with fairness, trust, and meaningful engagement.
This study introduces GenePixKolor (GPK) fusion, an innovative approach to non-fungible token (NFT) generation and rarity ranking tailored for the gaming industry and tokenomics ecosystems. GPK Fusion leverages genetic algorithms, image processing and machine learning to create a comprehensive, four-stage system that optimizes both the trait generation and visual appeal of NFTs, while providing an advanced rarity ranking mechanism. The GPK Fusion’s rarity ranking method uniquely combines trait-based and pixel-based evaluations. Pixel rarity was assessed using color distribution for overall aesthetic appeal, and trait rarity was assessed using trait combinations. Fusing pixel rarity with trait rarity provides a more holistic assessment of an NFT’s uniqueness, balancing functional value with visual attractiveness. This approach addresses the limitations of existing rarity calculation methods, offering a more nuanced and comprehensive evaluation of the NFT. Empirical comparisons demonstrate that GPK Fusion consistently produces NFTs with superior trait combinations and enhanced visual appeal compared to traditional methods. Its rarity ranking shows a strong correlation with practical valuation strategies in real-time trading environments and enhances the NFT marketplaces. This research contributes to the evolving field of NFT design and valuation by providing game developers and tokenomics strategists with a powerful tool for creating, evaluating and ranking digital assets. GPK Fusion’s methodology opens new avenues for creating more engaging, visually striking and balanced NFTs. GPK potentially revolutionizes asset creation and valuation in the rapidly growing intersection of gaming and blockchain technologies.
With the rapid advancement of technology, the transformation of images into digital codes has enabled computer technologies and their derivatives to be included in the art environment, production, and exhibition methods, as well as traditional tools used in artworks. Blockchain and NFT technology, which emerged because of these developments, merged with art to create a new digital art field. This new technology offers new perspectives on the preservation, exhibition and evaluation of art and plays an important role in the digital art economy. The main problematic of this study is to develop an in-depth understanding of the rise of NFT (Non-Fungible Token) technology in the art world and how this new digital art form is perceived by virtual communities. The effects of NFT on the production, distribution, appropriation, and evaluation of artworks have provoked different reactions among artists and art lovers. This study aims to reveal the value, acceptance, and criticism of NFT art in virtual communities through a netnographic analysis. In this study, the perspectives of virtual communities on NFT were examined using a netnographic analysis method. For this purpose, forum sites such as Donanım Haber, R10, Reddit, Shift Delete and Technopat, which have high traffic and active members, were selected and the content shared on these sites between January and October in 2021, when NFT was popular, was analyzed. Discussions, comments, and opinions about NFT on these sites were analyzed in depth. As a result of the study, it was determined that NFT has received various reactions in the art world, some users find this technology meaningless and speculative, while others see NFT as a revolutionary step in the digitalization of art. It is concluded that NFT offers new opportunities to artists and collectors by securing the ownership, authenticity, and trade of artworks in a digital environment.
The Regenerative Finance (ReFi) movement is gaining traction in the Web3 space, with numerous blockchain-based initiatives claiming alignment with regenerative outcomes. However, many of these claims remain vague or structurally unsubstantiated. This study evaluates 40 self-identified ReFi initiatives to determine the extent to which their design, governance, capital structures, and impact logic align with foundational regenerative principles. Drawing from regenerative economics, living systems theory, and regenerative organizational design, a structured evaluation framework was developed covering six dimensions across three domains: regenerative finance, real-world impact, and regenerative organizational design. The framework informed two scoring-based questionnaires, enabling systematic assessment of regenerative and impact claims. Results revealed significant variation in alignment: 50% of initiatives were categorized as Regenerative Finance (ReFi), 45% as Sustainable DeFi, and 5% as Structurally Misaligned, reflecting limited coherence between regenerative claims and actual practice. The findings showed that team diversity and initiative maturity were positively correlated with regenerative performance, and that a lack of holistic impact evaluation—across thematic dimensions and throughout operational, direct, and indirect value chains—remains a key limitation across the sector. A typology of regenerative alignment and a replicable self-evaluation tool were developed to help funders, practitioners, and protocol developers assess which ReFi initiatives are structurally aligned with regenerative principles and which remain aspirational. This research advances conceptual and practical clarity around the term “regenerative” in Web3, supporting the evolution of more accountable, transparent, and transformation-oriented financial systems in service to the Global Commons.