Google Play Store Requires Games to Include Loot Box Odds

Google has asked the developers of games and apps in Play Store to disclose loot box odds. The move follows growing backlash from consumers and public health officials who compare loot boxes to gambling.

Players know what they receive only after they purchase the loot box and more often, the items are of low value and usefulness. Vulnerable players seeking high-value items may then repeatedly make purchases without knowing the actual odds of getting the items they want.

The new policy is one among the changes that Google has made to its Google Play Store rules. In addition to the loot box disclosure, Google has also banned apps that offer certain things related to cannabis, including an in-app shopping cart and tools for arranging cannabis deliveries.