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RandomFactor [soylentnews.org] writes:

"The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act" is being introduced [kotaku.com] to the United States Senate according to Senator Josh Hawley's press team. Today they announced [senate.gov]

a bill that would ban loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions in “games played by minors,” a broad label that the senator says will include both games designed for kids under 18 and games “whose developers knowingly allow minor players to engage in microtransactions.”

The game 'Candy Crush' was cited as an "egregious" example of pay-to-win with things like it's $150 "Luscious Bundle".

“When a game is designed for kids, game developers shouldn’t be allowed to monetize addiction,” Hawley said in a press release. “And when kids play games designed for adults, they should be walled off from compulsive microtransactions. Game developers who knowingly exploit children should face legal consequences.”

Likely any such legislation would have knock on effects throughout the gaming (and mobile gaming) markets affecting the gaming experience for non-minor players as well.

The Entertainment Software Association responded quickly stating that

"Numerous countries, including Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, determined that loot boxes do not constitute gambling. We look forward to sharing with the senator the tools and information the industry already provides that keeps the control of in-game spending in parents’ hands. Parents already have the ability to limit or prohibit in-game purchases with easy to use parental controls."

With an acronym like PCAGA the bill may struggle to gain traction. Maybe we can come up with something better?

Previous Coverage of Loot Boxes in gaming 1 [soylentnews.org], 2 [soylentnews.org], 3 [soylentnews.org], 4 [soylentnews.org], 5 [soylentnews.org]

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