Loot Boxes Are Now a Government Issue

Microtransactions, and more specifically loot boxes, have caused quite a stir in recent months. This is largely because it's starting to seem like every other game has them, whether it's a multiplayer fashion show of death like Overwatch or even a singleplayer-only affair like Middle Earth: Shadow of War.

Love 'em or hate 'em, there's no denying how popular loot boxes have become with AAA publishers like Blizzard and WB, and how topical they are in the industry at the moment. The ESRB's recently declared that it doesn't see them as gambling, after calls for them to label games that feature them as such. While many may dislike loot boxes, few might attempt to combat them using the British Parliament. Regardless, someone has done just that. 

Reddit user 'Artfunkel' shared on /r/Games that after a productive talk on the issue, the Labour MP for Cambridge, Daniel Zeichner, has reached out to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (Conservative MP Karen Bradley); on their behalf.

Specifically, Zeichner submitted the following questions to the parliament.uk site:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to help protect vulnerable adults and children from illegal gambling, in-game gambling and loot boxes within computer games.

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of the Isle of Man's enhanced protections against illegal and in-game gambling and loot boxes; and what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on adopting such protections in the UK.

As pointed out in the Reddit post, the Isle of Man is currently the only place in the world that defines in-game items as 'money's worth' under law (i.e. equivalent to money, this definition being required for it to be affected by gambling law). 

Artfunkel's wider goal is to have the "UK's existing gambling regulations applied to loot boxes". While no major action is expected instantly, Artfunkel hopes to "start the conversation" with these questions. 

Artfunkel isn't the only one attempting to rouse Parliament with loot box debate. A petition urging the government to "adapt gambling laws to include gambling in video games which targets children" has over 10,000 signatures, which means the government will respond to it at some point in the future.

What are your thoughts on loot boxes? Hate the British Parliament? Rant away in the comments below.