Determinants of Users’ Intention to Purchase Probability-Based Items in Mobile Social Network Games: A Case of South Korea

The goal of this paper was to identify factors that influence the purchase of probability-based items (PBIs) in mobile social network games (MSNGs). This paper introduces an extended research model based on the technology acceptance model. Statistical results from a survey of MSNG users find that factors that influence the purchase of PBIs include perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, perceived number of users, and perceived number of friends which are factors attributed to mobile game and social network characteristics, and also perceived desire for jackpot that is one of the major features of PBIs. We also analyzed the research model by gender to provide MSNG companies with a reference that may guide the development of PBI strategies that are targeted at genders. Males responded differently than females to some factors.