The German Youth Protection Commission is now contemplating to ban loot boxes because it might violate laws against promoting gambling to children and adolescents. Their concerns are based on the following research conducted by the University of Hamburg found too many elements of gambling in video games.
The United Kingdom has also voiced similar concerns about loot box associated gambling, and Washington State Senator has introduced a bill that will task state officials and game developers with determining whether mechanics such as loot boxes are a form of gambling that targeted kids.
For New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs, however, stated that loot boxes don’t meet the legal definition of gambling and wouldn’t consider loot boxes to be categorized under gambling. In March, the Youth Protection Commission will provide its own statement regarding loot boxes, as chairman Wolfgang Kreißig stated that it is conceivable that loot boxes violate present regulation in place to Protect children and adolescents.
