This is “misdirection,” he says, and gives the impression to gamers that they are at risk of losing their games. It’s never just been a binary choice between bans-“the nuclear option,” says David Zendle, a professor in computer science at the University of York-and letting the industry run wild.
Despite finding a link between these systems and problem gambling, the government has left regulation up to the industry. Last week, after a 22-month consultation, the UK government decided that loot boxes will not be regulated under betting laws. For at least the past five years, driven by a mix of grassroots Reddit organizing and parental horror stories-“ my teen spent £6,000 on FIFA cards”-these randomized prize draws have attracted the world’s ire in several countries, they’re now illegal. Loot boxes-like Hot Coffee or Gamergate-don’t buck this trend.
Whenever a term from the world of video games enters broader society, it’s a safe bet that it’s not for a good reason.
