Loot boxes are proving to be quite the hot topic this week, and now two industry bodies have confirmed their respective positions on the matter. First up PEGI, the European agency that awards games their age ratings, has fallen in-line with a similar ruling by the ESRB.
"In short, our approach is similar to that of ESRB (I think all rating boards do, USK in Germany as well)," PEGI's Dirk Bosmans said in a statement to WCCFTech. "The main reason for this is that we cannot define what constitutes gambling.
"That is the responsibility of a national gambling commission. Our gambling content descriptor is given to games that simulate or teach gambling as it's done in real life in casinos, racetracks, etc. If a gambling commission would state that loot boxes are a form of gambling, then we would have to adjust our criteria to that."
This comes hot on the heels of Ukie chief Dr Jo Twist telling Eurogamer that loot boxes "are already covered by and fully compliant with existing relevant UK regulations".
"The games sector has a history of open and constructive dialogue with regulators, ensuring that games fully comply with UK law and has already discussed similar issues as part of last year's Gambling Commission paper on virtual currencies, esports and social gaming," Twist said yesterday. "The games sector also takes its responsibility to players, particularly children, seriously and employs various parental controls across all devices that can prevent unwanted in game purchases."
We touched on the subject of loot boxes very recently, so for more thoughts on the matter take a punt on this link.