The UK government seeks public referendum on loot boxes

The United Kingdom government will be conducting a public referendum on whether loot boxes to be allowed or not. Some other European countries, like the Netherlands, have already banned loot boxes. UK, on the other hand, is trying to do a Brexit of loot boxes.

Many countries began exploring the link between loot boxes and gambling, with Belgium and the Netherlands quickly dubbing the in-game practice illegal. Other boards from Ireland, the United States and the United Kingdom came to the conclusion that loot boxes could not be defined as gambling by its current definition, while the latter two continued their investigations.

The UK’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee looks towards public opinion regarding the “addictive nature of some technologies can affect users’ engagement with gaming and social media, particularly amongst younger people.” Although the game isn’t mentioned, this has likely been fast-tracked thanks to the sheer popularity of Fortnite sweeping the world.

Following the terms of reference, contributors can submit a document up to 3,000 words filled with evidence towards their point. Each paragraph must be numbered at pertain to at least one of the six broad umbrella headings that the regulator is enquiring about:

• The immersive media industry
• The future of eSports in the UK
• The wider uses of “gamification” and VR/AR
• Tackling digital and gaming addiction
• The links between gaming and gambling
• Data security and infrastructure