wccftech Dutch Government Intends to Ban Lootboxes in Games Alltogether

[bonami2]

Quote

The Dutch Government intends to ban the use of so-called lootboxes in games altogether in the Netherlands and aims to implement additional rules in the rest of Europe.

As spotted by videogame law researcher Leon Y. Xiao and picked up by GamesIndustry, the Dutch minister of Economic Affairs, Micky Adriaansens, has sent her consumer agenda to the House of Representatives. The agenda contains items against aggressive and misleading door sales as well as online sales, including a complete ban in The Netherlands on the use of lootboxes in games. Last year, House of Representatives member Henri Bontenbal submitted a motion to prohibit lootboxes - a motion that was broadly accepted. As filed by Bontenbal last year, lootboxes can be considered a form of gambling, which is addictive and can be harmful to families. In his motion, Bontenbal also mentioned that lootboxes are already prohibited in Belgium.

 

I'm so happy to see this! Most pay-to-win games nowadays are essentially gambling...

 

 

Dutch Government Intends to Ban Lootboxes in Games Alltogether

WCCFTECH.COM

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The Dutch Government intends to ban the use of lootboxes in games altogether and aims to implement additional rules in the rest of Europe.

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by bonami2

[UltraMega]

Awesome, if only this could happen in the US where I live but it's probably more likely that some lobbyists would push through some new laws protecting loot boxes here. 

 

IMO, any time loot boxes can in anyway at all be bought or sold for real money, and/or if they offer a competitive advantage in a multiplayer game at all, that makes it a form of gambling and should thus be regulated similarly.