The UK government has told the UK gaming industry that if it does not take action on loot boxes, it will draft legislation to do so.
As our colleagues at our sister site GamesIndustry.biz have pointed out, the government told game publishers today that the luxury of regulating itself will cease to exist if it does not take control of the sale of loot boxes to children and young people. such as those using loot boxes. they are “more likely to suffer gambling-related harm, mental health, financial, and gambling-related problems.”
In June 2020, the UK government announced that it would launch a call for tests on loot boxes in response to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) research on immersive and addictive technologies, and began inviting public responses in September.
After a lengthy investigation, the DCMS now says that loot boxes should not be available to children without the consent of parents or guardians and, in a 90-page report, said it “will not hesitate to consider the legislation if companies do not provide enough measures to protect players. ”
Other recommendations include better signaling to players that loot boxes are not essential for progression or to “ensure success,” as well as measures to limit the amount of purchases that can be made in a given time period. He also wants to see “generous refund policies” and the ability to track / consult game spending.
He also claimed that the government has launched the video game research framework to better understand the positive and negative impacts of games.
“We want to prevent children from spending online without parental consent, stimulated by in-game purchases like loot boxes,” said Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries.
“Gaming companies and platforms need to do more to ensure that age controls and restrictions are in place so that players are protected from the risk of gambling damage,” he added. “Children should be able to safely enjoy the games, while giving parents and guardians the peace of mind they need.”
For now, however, the UK government has stopped short of implementing legislation to help achieve this.
This was not even the first time a British government agency had called for evidence of loot boxes: in January 2019, the DCMS Committee also asked people and members of the public to share their experiences as part of their research. preliminary on problems with the game. and video game addiction. As a result of this gathering of evidence, the DCMS Committee recommended that the UK government regulate looting boxes under the Gambling Act, with all the additional rules and regulations that this entails.
Earlier this month, political parties in the Netherlands widely supported a new attempt to block the sale of video game loot boxes in the country. There has also been pressure recently on loot boxes in Spain.