About a week ago, Belgian authorities launched an investigation into loot boxes found in video game to determine whether or not such features are considered gambling, and now they are back with their findings and according to VTM News (machine translation; via PC Gamer), the country’s Gaming Commission has announced that it is considered as gambling.
To that end, the commission is hoping to have such features banned from video games across Europe. According to Belgium’s Minister of Justice Koen Geens, “Mixing gambling and gaming, especially at a young age, is dangerous for the mental health of the child.” Note that this does not affect in-game purchases completely.
Rather it seems that it only affects in-game purchases in instances where you don’t know what you’ll be purchasing. For example if there is an in-game purchase for a skin for your character/weapon, that’s fine, but if the in-game purchase is for a chance to unlock a skin/item for your character, then it won’t be allowed as it would be considered gambling.
Now whether or not such a ban will be passed remains to be seen, and Geens admits that the process could take some time. In the meantime Belgium isn’t the only country that is looking into the controversy surrounding loot boxes, as over in France, a French Senator has requested for an investigation to be made as well.
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