Rocky Rambo Wei Nam Kam pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murders of a husband and wife, his attorney arguing Kam’s mental state was impaired by an addiction to video games. (The Globe and Mail)

Talking point: Dr. Edward Shen, a Richmond, B.C. clinical psychologist, coined the term “gaming consciousness” to describe Kam’s mental state in court, admitting that the phrase was not scientific or commonly accepted. He described it as an altered state where a person feels they must achieve certain goals to win a game. “Indulging in such activities might loosen the conceptual boundaries of where reality begins and where reality ends,” Shen said. “The line becomes blurred.” In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) added “gaming disorder” to its section on substance use and addictive behaviours, defining it as excessive and irrepressible preoccupation with video games, resulting in significant personal, social, academic and/or occupational impairment for at least 12 months. The WHO’s decision received substantial pushback, especially from the gaming industry. Kam’s is among the first cases to test the possible consequences of gaming addiction in court; closing arguments will be heard next week.