The question of whether the lockboxes in the recent run of FIFA soccer titles constitute gambling has been one that many nations around the world have been wrestling with, from Dutch courts to the UK and even here in the US. It looks like the country of Austria has now weighed in, as the district court of Hermagor has ruled those lockboxes violate Austrian gambling laws.
The ruling is from a 2022 court case between owners of FIFA on PlayStation and Sony Interactive Europe, which states that FIFA Ultimate Team card packs fall under gambling because players are able to sell the cards on a secondary market, thus granting the randomized cards a real-world monetary value. GIbiz notes that Sony was the defendant in the case instead of Electronic Arts because the cards in question were purchased from the PlayStation Store, making any purchasing contracts associated with Sony.
As a result, Sony is being ordered to refund payments of €338.26 (about $359 US), though the verdict is not final and Sony still has the ability to appeal the decision.
