UK government demands changes to better protect young people from loot boxes Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. UK government demands changes to better protect young people from loot boxes "Games companies and platforms need to do more." News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on 17 Jul 2022 41 comments The UK government has told the UK games industry that if it won't take action on loot boxes, it will draw up legislation that will. As noted by our colleagues at our sister site GamesIndustry.biz, the government today told game publishers that the luxury of regulating itself will cease if it does not take control of the sale of loot boxes to children and young people as those that use loot boxes are "more likely to experience gambling, mental health, financial, and problem gaming-related harms". Back in June 2020, the UK Government announced it would launch a call for evidence on loot boxes in response to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) inquiry into immersive and addictive technologies, and began inviting responses from the public in September. After a lengthy investigation, the DCMS now says that loot boxes should not be available to children without consent of parents or guardians, and - in a 90-page report - said it "will not hesitate to consider legislation if companies do not bring in sufficient measures to keep players safe". Other recommendations include better signalling to players that loot boxes are neither essential to progression nor "guarantee success", as well as measures to limit the amount of purchases that can be made in a set time period. It also wants to see "generous refund policies", too, and the ability to track/view in-game spend. It also stated that the government has launched the Video Games Research Framework to better understand the positive and negative impacts of gaming. "We want to stop children going on spending sprees online without parental consent, spurred on by in-game purchases like loot-boxes," said Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries. "Games companies and platforms need to do more to ensure that controls and age-restrictions are applied so that players are protected from the risk of gambling harms," she added. "Children should be free to enjoy gaming safely, whilst giving parents and guardians the peace of mind they need." For now, however, the UK government stopped short of implementing legislation to help achieve this. This wasn't even the first time a British government body has asked for evidence on loot boxes: back in January 2019 the DCMS Committee also called for individuals and members of the public to discuss their experiences as part of its preliminary research into problems with gambling and addiction in video games. As a result of this evidence-gathering, the DCMS Committee recommended that the UK Government regulate loot boxes under the Gambling Act, with all the extra rules and regulations that entails. Earlier this month, political parties in the Netherlands broadly backed a new attempt to block the sale of video game loot boxes in the country. There's also recently been pressure on loot boxes in Spain, too. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 8 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store