The US authorities have drawn attention to the problem of loot boxes. The head of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Joseph Simons, announced that his department will study the mechanics of loot boxes and assess the extent of its impact on underage players. It is unknown how long the FTC investigation will last.
According to Senator Maggie Hassan, the authorities should make sure that children are protected from the negative influence of loot boxes, and parents of young gamers are aware of the dangers of gambling addiction. Hassan has repeatedly called for measures to be taken against the loot box system.
Earlier, the American Entertainment Software Association (ESA) spoke out in defense of loot boxes. ESA President Mike Gallagher is sure that loot boxes have nothing to do with gambling, since loot obtained from boxes cannot be converted into real currency.
Recently, the topic of loot boxes was touched upon by the British Gambling Commission in a report on the impact of gambling on young people. Nevertheless, the British regulator denies that loot boxes cause gambling addiction.
In a number of other European countries, state regulators fine gaming companies for the presence of loot boxes in certain titles. For example, publishers Blizzard, Valve and 2K were forced to remove boxes with random loot from the Belgian versions of their games. Australia is also ready to ban loot boxes.
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