As much as the companies using them to make bank might want them to, the discussions around lockboxes are not going away. And a new study from the EU Internal Market and Consumer Protection committee brings up a point that those companies would really rather not hear. Rather than discussing lockboxes under the header of gambling, the study argues that it makes more sense to discuss these issues and potentially legislate by marking lockboxes not under gambling laws but from a consumer protection perspective.
Those of you who have been following the ongoing discussion no doubt recall that some countries in the EU have already classified lootboxes as being gambling mechanics, which has prompted the studios thus cited to simply remove the option to purchase currency within those countries without making any further changes. Furthermore, the EU as a whole does not control the gambling laws of its member nations. But the study lays out a case for these practices as being harmful and anti-consumer, which does have quite a bit more teeth. Check out the full rundown; it might contain some familiar points, but it’s a sign that people watching the game industry are not mollified by a change in rating labels.
