Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Belgium Moving to Ban "Loot Boxes" Throughout Europe, Hawaii Could Restrict Sale to Minors

posted by Fnord666 on Thursday November 23 2017, @04:53PM   Printer-friendly
from the microtransaction-fail dept.

takyon writes:

Video game gambling schemes known as "loot boxes" or "loot crates" could be banned or restricted by regulators:

We learned last week that Belgium's gambling authority was investigating loot crates in Star Wars Battlefront II over concerns that they constitute gambling. Now, the decision is in, and the answer is a resounding yes, according to Dutch-language publication VTM Nieuws. The commission claims that purchasable add-on boxes, the contents of which are randomized, mix "money and addiction" and thus are a form of gambling.

Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens added: "Mixing gambling and gaming, especially at a young age, is dangerous for the mental health of the child." The commission will now reportedly work through the European Union's process to execute a total ban. We've reached out to Belgium's Gaming Commission for more details on its next steps and the legal implications of the ruling.

The country isn't alone in its stance on loot boxes. Just hours ago, Rep. Chris Lee (D) from Hawaii denounced EA's "predatory behavior" in a speech uploaded to YouTube (first spotted by Kotaku). In the clip, Lee also talks of the detrimental affect micro-transactions have on children, with specific reference to Battlefront II, which he describes as a a "Star Wars-themed online casino, designed to lure kids into spending money".

What Are Loot Boxes? Gaming's Big New Problem, Explained

Press 'F' to pay respects.

Related: Why Call of Duty WW2 Bosses Won't 'Shy Away' from History
Star Wars Game in U-Turn After Player Anger

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Belgium Moving to Ban "Loot Boxes" Throughout Europe, Hawaii Could Restrict Sale to Minors | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 83 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 23 2017, @06:54PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 23 2017, @06:54PM (#600764)

    Err Belgium had betting shops like tipco and ladbrokes last time I checked. Have they been shut down?

    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   +1  
       Informative=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Informative' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   1  

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 24 2017, @01:27AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 24 2017, @01:27AM (#600892)

    Signs point to "no." http://sports.ladbrokes.be/en [ladbrokes.be] https://twitter.com/LadbrokesBE [twitter.com]

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by qzm on Friday November 24 2017, @02:27AM

    by qzm (3260) on Friday November 24 2017, @02:27AM (#600902)

    You do know that betting and gambling are two quite different things right?

    One is selection of a winner based on [whatever factors you consider important], however it is most certainly not a random outcome.
    The other is placing money down on an essentially random outcome, with a much higher possible return.

    Of course there is plenty of gray in between, and both tend to be regulated, however they are most certainly different things.