It all started two years ago when Denise Martin bought her now 10-year-old son, Ezekiel, a used Xbox 360 for $100 at a thrift store.

Already a skilled gamer from years of playing online games, he quickly started beating one game after another.

Once the used system started to die, Martin saved for months to purchase a new Xbox One that cost $500. But the new system required a high-definition TV, which cost her another $200. It also wouldn't play any of Ezekiel's old games, so she had to buy him new ones at a cost of $60 a pop.

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Since buying that first Xbox 360, the single mom has spent nearly $2,000 on gaming systems, games and accessories -- and that's despite her efforts to save by trading in games and buying used items.

"They've got my family hooked," she said. "I'm in an economic loop with Xbox."