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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
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 23 2017, @07:03PM (2 children)
Oh, are we doing Dumb Thursday? Can I join? How about this one for my entry: the US is the pinnacle of civilization.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Thursday November 23 2017, @07:29PM (1 child)
Oooh oooh, my turn:
Trump Trump, he da best!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 23 2017, @10:08PM
Damn right! The Europeans should show some gratitude for saving them from Nazi and communist hell. "I should have let them rot! I did it! I saved them! ME!"
But I do guarantee this, if the Americans pulled the troops out of Europe, they would indeed be back at war, just like the former Soviet clients are now. This last 72 years is only a pause, the longest one on record, in their millennial battle. Just more proof that an irresistible force is the only thing keeping the peace. Obama was right when he said it: *We are the indispensable nation.* This is true. Without us the powder keg will definitely blow. As we unravel, the whole world follows. Even the Chinese will get singed.