Industry
December 5, 2022
Research Suggests Loot Box Users Twice as Likely to Have a Gambling Problem
New research published in Addiction Research & Theory continues to delve into the connection between loot boxes, digital containers, and rewards used by publishers and developers to sonically boost their revenue from products, and gambling practices. The new study examined a sample of more than 1,600 people in Canada and sought to see if there […]
Legal
November 28, 2022
New Bill in Australia Proposes Crackdown on Loot Boxes
Loot boxes have caused controversy in many countries around the world. The virtual rewards, some of which holding real-money value, that are accessed via tokens or keys in exchange for real money were compared to gambling by many lawmakers. This resulted in urges for strict regulation and attempts to restrict video games containing loot boxes […]
Legal
October 18, 2022
Sony Taken to Austrian Court over Loot Boxes
It seems like the loot boxes debate continues to be one of the hot topics of the gaming and video gaming industries. In a recent development, Sony will appear in court for offering what some Austrians consider to be illegal gambling. Sony Is Guilty of Allowing Games that Offer Loot Boxes Österreichische Lotterien and Casinos […]
Legal
September 15, 2022
Australian MPs to Hear Personally from Victims of Gambling Harm
Authorities in Australia will be launching a parliamentary inquiry into the impact of live sports betting and loot boxes to assess the effectiveness of the current gambling regulation regime, reported the Sydney Morning Herald. Scrutinize Regulation, Loot Boxes and Gambling Advertising Led by Labor MP Peta Murphy, who is chair of the standing committee on […]
Industry
August 26, 2022
Loot Boxes Continue to Be in Dutch Ministry’s Crosshairs
Dutch Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind sent Thursday his answers to the parliamentary questions submitted by SP MP Michiel van Nispen in relation to the expressed wish by 19 European consumer organizations among which the Dutch Consumers’ Association, requesting restrictions for loot boxes. Considering Next Course of Action In his letter to parliament, Minister […]
Esports
August 11, 2022
xQc Believes Twitch Will Never Ban Gambling Content
Felix Lengyel, also known by his gaming alias xQc, believes that the streaming platform Twitch will not ban gambling streams. According to the video game celebrity, the community backlash will not be enough to convince the platform otherwise. xQc Believes Twitch Will Never Ban Gambling Content Gambling content on Twitch has long been frowned upon. […]
Legal
July 25, 2022
GambleAware Responds to UK Government Over Loot Boxes Usage
GambleAware, a reputable UK organization that helps players with gambling problems, has published a statement in which it responds to the government of the country over the use of loot boxes in video games. In the statement, GambleAware says that it hopes that the new government will consider legislative action on their use, especially when […]
Esports
July 20, 2022
The Children’s Commissioner Wants to Ban Loot Boxes
The Children’s Commissioner for England, a non-departmental public body responsible for promoting and protecting the rights of children, has joined the fight against loot boxes in video gaming. The body blasted the government’s decision to not ban harmful microtransactions and said that this puts kids in harm’s way. The Children’s Commissioner Wants to Protect Young […]
Industry
July 18, 2022
DCMS: Kids to Require Parents’ Consent to Buy Loot Boxes
The United Kingdom’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport refused to prohibit loot boxes. However, it announced that it will bar video game companies from offering loot boxes to kids without their parent’s consent. This comes amid rising disgruntlement against microtransactions in video gaming. DCMS Wants Kids to Enjoy Gaming without the Harm The […]
Esports
July 18, 2022
Video Game Loot Boxes Remain Legal in the UK
The UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) announced that the government would not regulate game loot boxes. The regulator reached this decision despite a recent study linking loot boxes to problem gambling. The DCMS instead recommended that the industry should take measures to self-regulate. The regulator warned that failure to do so […]