China wants to limit the number of loot boxes players can buy

Are loot boxes a form of gambling?

Countries are debating whether buying a random selection of virtual items in video games is like gambling. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo have all committed to disclosing loot box odds in games to help take the heat off. For China, though, that doesn’t appear to be enough.

Instead, China wants to put a limit on how many loot boxes a player can buy in a day. Beijing also wants companies to ensure the exact drop rate matches the disclosed loot box odds.

In the age of mobile gaming, loot boxes have become a popular form of monetization as it allows people to start playing a game for free. Some of these games are derided as being “pay to win” because of the advantages given by items from loot boxes. But the lucky draw nature of loot boxes has also drawn criticism from governments around the world, which fear the technique takes advantage of psychological factors that also contribute to gambling addiction.

Some countries like Belgium and the Netherlands have already banned the sale of loot boxes outright. By contrast, trade groups in the US like the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) are calling for self-regulation.