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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: 2) by sjames on Friday November 24 2017, @07:27PM (2 children)
The proposal in Hawaii is no sales to minors.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday November 25 2017, @12:23AM (1 child)
In case it's not clear, I don't read minds. But thank you for the clarification.
Even in that case, you're seeing a decrease in freedom from the efforts to enforce the resulting law (such as the minors in question not being able to buy the game and gratuitous ID checks for young adults above the age minimum) combined with insignificant protection for the minor - they now have to get someone else to buy the game for them and perhaps lying about their age in the game itself. It doesn't stop a kid with a credit card from getting loot boxes. It's not as severe a harm as the Belgium case, but it's still a cost in freedom for little gain.
And really what is supposed to be the problem here? Mommy and daddy can take the credit card away. And if this gets big enough to be an actual financial problem, then it's a learning moment for everyone involved. Not seeing the need for government to nanny this.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Sunday November 26 2017, @03:48AM
There is already a class of games that are rated for over 18. This would be just one more criterion that could put a game in that category.
I'm not claiming it's some sort of fool proof iron wall, but many parents actually do look at the ratings to decide what games their children can play. The kids that typically know someone over 18 that will buy it for them tend to be at least in their later teens themselves.so it at least slants the curve to older teens.
As for the problem, kids are a bit young to be subjected to stimulus carefully crafted to hijack their reward centers to get them to spend spend spend. There's plenty of time for that once they're more neurologically mature.