Dr David Zendle

University of York

David Zendle is an active researcher into the effects of both video games and gambling, and is the author of several key references on the topic of video game monetisation. His most well-known publications deal with the potential effects of loot boxes. His recent work focuses on understanding the diversity of ways that video game play impacts wellbeing, and involves the analysis of large-scale datasets of player behaviour and spending.

David is an academic affiliate of the Behavioural Insights Team and holds a research position within the NHS. He is particularly interested in building evidence-based policy in the domain of video game regulation, and has provided oral testimony on video game effects to a variety of government investigations across the globe.

David is particularly interested in supervising students with an industry, economics, legal, or behavioural sciences background. He is interested in work on the following topics:

• The long-term effects of video game play (both positive and negative)

• Video game monetisation

• Video game regulation and policy

• Dark video game design

Research themes:

• Game Analytics

• Game effects

• Game policy