Published date: 7 October 2020

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 28 October 2020, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Research services - 73110000

Location of contract

London

Value of contract

£25,000 to £50,000

Procurement reference

BIP531891818

Published date

7 October 2020

Closing date

28 October 2020

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

10 November 2020

Contract end date

17 February 2021

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

No

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The government takes concerns around harms in video games very seriously and in December 2019, committed to review online video games loot boxes alongside a wider review of the Gambling Act 2005.

To support this review of the Gambling Act 2005 and our wider programme of research about video games, and to ensure government policy is based on a sound understanding of the issue and its place in the wider policy framework, the government will run a public call for evidence on loot boxes. This was announced on 8 June 2020 in the government's response to the DCMS Select Committee Immersive and Addictive Technologies Inquiry report. The call for evidence will be launched during the summer with emerging conclusions expected by the end of 2020.

The call for evidence will examine a range of issues including the size and variation of the market, the design of mechanisms, the context in terms of other types of in-game spending, the impact on consumers and particularly young people including links to problem gambling, and the effectiveness of the current statutory and voluntary regulation.

The rapid evidence assessment specified in this Invitation to Tender will produce a literature review to support the public call for evidence, making a vital contribution to our analysis of loot boxes and wider microtransactions, and help us develop an effective and proportionate response that represents the best outcome for DCMS's aims. These are: protecting consumers - particularly children - and promoting business growth and innovation.

More information

Links

About the buyer

Contact name

DCMS Commercial

Address

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
100 Parliament Street
London
SW1A 2BQ
UK

Telephone

+442072116000

Email

commercial@dcms.gov.uk