League of Legends Developer Sued in Belgium over Loot Boxes

A couple in Belgium has filed a complaint against Riot Games, the company behind the famous competitive game League of Legends (LoL). The plaintiffs accused Riot Games of offering paid loot boxes despite Belgium’s strict regulations on such products.

Loot Boxes Are a Controversial Gaming Mechanic

Loot boxes are a controversial gaming mechanic where players can spend in-game currency to purchase randomized prizes. Ranging from consumable and utility items to cosmetics, these prizes could sometimes be very rare and prized by the players.

Since the in-game currency needed to purchase loot boxes can oftentimes be bought with real money, opponents of this mechanic have argued that it constitutes gambling. Gambling regulators in mature markets have long discussed this issue, with some imposing restrictions and others outright banning loot boxes.

Belgium, in particular, investigated the matter in 2018, causing it to impose restrictions on such products. However, Riot Games’ loot box mechanic is not being held up to the same standards, the plaintiffs argued.

Riot Removed Free Loot Boxes

The widely popular MOBA game recently made its Hextech Chests into purchasable items in what many saw as a controversial decision. Introduced in 2016, Hextech Chests were a reliable way for well-performing players to earn valuable skins – cosmetics that change the appearance of their characters.

In addition to skins, players could win in-game currency and character gestures, allowing them to further spice up their gameplay.

Players could initially earn up to four such chests a month. However, Riot Games eventually made acquiring them more difficult until it finally announced that it planned to remove them completely.

Instead, players should now either purchase skins directly or pay for loot boxes with real money. Riot Games justified this purchase with profitability concerns, arguing that players have been too content with what they get and have stopped buying skins, causing financial trouble for the company.

Belgium Considers Paid Loot Boxes to Be Gambling

The Belgian couple echoed arguments that loot boxes expose minors to gambling and that such products are often allowed on the market without much oversight. The plaintiffs also argued that Riot Games isn’t being held to the same standards as the other companies that had to either stop offering loot boxes, or modify their offering.

In 2018, the Belgian Gaming Commission ruled that paid loot boxes are gambling and should be regulated as such. While Belgium has had mixed successes in enforcing this ruling, many leading companies have been forced to comply with the regulations.

The plaintiffs in the case against Riot Games hope that the Belgian Gaming Commission will take action against the company. The commission itself will now proceed to investigate the matter.

In the meantime, many players supported the lawsuit. Most LoL players were unhappy with the removal of free Hextech chests in the first place and critiqued Riot’s unwavering decision to remove them. A few, however, expressed concerns about the future of LoL in Belgium if the commission takes action against the company.