Loot boxes have been a hot topic for some time, with several major publishers including them in their games despite growing concerns from across the industry and beyond. Several countries have taken a stance on the subject and have banned them, while others, including the UK, have allowed them to continue.
The UK Gambling Commission, for example, doesn't consider them gambling, however, that argument and more have been addressed by NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch, who recently issued a strongly-worded statement that calls out loot boxes as "setting kids up for addiction" to gambling.
As part of the report, it was confirmed that the NHS is setting up a new treatment centre to sit alongside 14 new gambling clinics, built "in response to growing concerns about addiction to gaming."
"Frankly no company should be setting kids up for addiction by teaching them to gamble on the content of these loot boxes. No firm should sell to children loot box games with this element of chance, so yes those sales should end," Murdoch wrote.
"Young people's health is at stake, and although the NHS is stepping up with these new, innovative services available to families through our Long Term Plan, we cannot do this alone, so other parts of society must do what they can to limit risks and safeguard children's wellbeing."
That protection must come from different sources, including game publishers, although that might not come willingly as some don't see the problem, with EA last year calling them "surprise mechanics" and arguing that they're no different from the blind bags that kids buy with toys in. While one might argue that they're part of the same problem, and not that one exonerates the other, it's clear that there's a reluctance from some quarters to remove loot boxes from certain games.
Another stumbling block on the acceptance that loot boxes are a form of gambling comes from the assertion that it's not gambling if you can't cash out (i.e. because you can't monetise something unlocked in a loot box) but the report highlights that there indeed ways to work around this via third-parties and, in some cases, you can monetise the things from loot boxes.
Insofar as the UK is concerned, the government is in the process of reviewing the Gambling Act, which covers loot boxes and their implementation, and one major initiative is already in place with the backing of trade body Ukie, which launched Get Smart About PLAY on January 10. It's fronted by former professional footballer Rio Ferdinand and encourages parents to engage with parental controls and play with their kids. You can find more on that right here.
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