A Scottish Member of Parliament has urged parents to boycott video games that contain so-called loot boxes.
The vice-chairman of the Westminster’s committee on gambling-related harm, Ronnie Cowan, has warned that in-game items that could be purchased for real money could trigger problem gambling in underage individuals.
Currently, loot boxes and special in-game items are featured by some of the most popular PlayStation and Xbox games offered on a global scale, including Fortnite, Fifa and Overwatch. They provide players with the chance to unlock new special items for their characters at random, such as appearance skins, weapons or other features that would help them make progress faster while playing the game.
According to Cowan MP, it is shocking that regulatory authorities do not require games that feature loot boxes and in-game items to disclose they contain an element of gambling on their packaging or official websites. He further shared that, in his opinion, game suppliers should be required to add such information on their products’ packaging but it would be even better if all gambling elements are removed from games.
According to Mr Cowan, loot boxes make gambling look normal to young audiences and increases the likelihood to gamble at a later stage of their lives and be less conscious about the possible harm they could suffer as a result. This is exactly why he urged British parents not to buy video games that contain loot boxes and in-game items as Christmas presents this year.
GHA Urges the Government to Classify Loot Boxes as a Form of Gambling
Currently, the UK Government is carrying out a review of the country’s gambling sector. Loot boxes and whether they need to be restricted or fully suspended will also be part of the review.
According to estimates, young people in the UK spent £270 million on purchases of video games in 2019. Experts have warned that controversial loot boxes are normalising gambling among children and young adults. Cowan MP also said that the gambling sector should not serve as a vehicle to target young adults and exploit them later in life.
The Gambling Health Alliance (GHA) has also called for the UK Government to make sure loot boxes that can be purchased for real money are officially classified as a form of gambling and suspended from video games that can be accessed by underage individuals. The GHA has rolled out a campaign as the UK Government takes into consideration possible moves that would help it reduce the possible harm that loot boxes have on video game players’ life, wellbeing, physical and mental health, and finances.
Duncan Stephenson, who heads the Gambling Health Alliance, explained that the organisation’s latest research suggested that video games have been packed with gambling features and the country’s legislation has not been fit to regulate them.
- Author
Daniel Williams
