Several game developers have a few weeks to change their loot box systems to comply with Dutch gambling laws, according to the Netherlands Gaming Authority.
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The Gaming Authority issued a statement a few days ago that said “four out of ten loot boxes” are prohibited according to the Betting and Gaming act in the country. This number comes from the Gaming Authority’s examination of several different games’ loot boxes, sometimes referred to by other names like “lottery boxes” and “treasure boxes.”
“Of the ten examined lottery boxes, four are in violation of the law,” the statement said via Google Translate. “This is because coincidence determines the contents of these loot boxes. Moreover, the prizes can be traded outside the game: the prizes have economic value. It is forbidden to offer this type of games of chance without a license to the Dutch players.”
While the games that contained the loot boxes that the Dutch say are in violation of the country’s gambling laws weren’t mentioned, the part about trading the loot box prized outside of the game gives some indication as to what games the Gaming Authority may be looking at. According to the Dutch news site NOS (via GamesIndustry.biz), FIFA 18, DOTA 2, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and Rocket League are all the violating games in question.
The Gaming Authority is also taking steps to make sure that games’ loot boxes ditch some of the “addiction-sensitive elements” that accompany the randomized loot. These elements include but aren’t limited to what the Gaming Authority refers to as “near-profit effects” as well as visual effects that accompany the loot box and give you that sensation of “winning” something through the loot. The possibility to open loot boxes in quick succession is also an element that the Gaming Authority wants removed, something that anyone who burns through loot boxes quickly only to get little of value and feel awful about it can probably relate to.
No one particular gaming incident was cited in the statement as one that spearheaded the research efforts, but the Gaming Authority said that these decisions are the product of several months of research. As for the companies in violation of the Dutch policies, they have a few weeks to make adjustments before legal action is taken.
“The Gaming Authority calls on providers of games with loot boxes to behave according to the norm set by Dutch law and to adjust their games accordingly. From 20 June 2018 the Gaming Authority will take enforcement action against gambling providers with loot boxes that do not comply with this standard.”
