Loot Box Regulation Bill Introduced by Washington Senator

[AlTech]

A Washington Senator is introducing a new Lootbox Regulation bill to investigate Loot Boxes and the ramifications and come to a conslusion as to whether Loot Boxes are gambling or not.

 

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Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker introduced a bill this month asking state officials, as well as game developers, to determine once and for all if loot boxes and similar mechanics are specifically designed to prey on children. 

“What the bill says is, ‘Industry, state: sit down to figure out the best way to regulate this,’” Ranker told the outlet. “It is unacceptable to be targeting our children with predatory gambling masked in a game with dancing bunnies or something.”

 

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The issue, though, is complicated. If it were determined as a form of gambling, it could stand to reason the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) will have to change its entire rating system to accommodate. As of right now, the ESRB's highest rating allowed for sale in stores is Mature, which prohibits children under 17 from purchasing a game without an adult present. United States gambling laws, however, make it illegal for children under 18 or 21, depending on state, to engage in any gambling. If it were determined loot boxes are gambling, it'd be illegal for a child to purchase a game, even if they are 17. 

The ESRB does have an Adult's Only rating, prohibiting a game from being purchased by anyone under 18, but these game's aren't available in brick and mortar stores. But even then, depending on the state, a game with loot boxes won't be available to people under the age of 21. Any laws passed could change the way video games are rated.

 

The bill stipulates that the Study must conclude before December 1st 2018. It only applies to Washington State.

 

If the bill finds Loot Box mechanics to be considered gambling, games and apps featuring them will not be allowed to be sold to minors (people under the age of 21) in the state of Washington. This bill is currently aimed at investigating them to better understand them and to determine whether they are gambling or not.

 

I like the idea of having an investigation before they come to a conclusion but I know my posiiton on the matter already. Loot Boxes are predatory and are exploiting people through gambling mechanics.

 

Sources:

https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/washington-senator-introduces-bill-for-loot-box-regulation-w515890

 

[themctipers]

wish it didn't come to this. 

[lishde]

Good to hear

[Seefer]

To make it gambling is damn stupid especially in Overwatch! That would be akin to saying trading cards are gambling because they actually have real life items not just stupid cosmetic items.

[Drak3]

Too bad it won't work. The issue is that today's "parents" want to be their kids' friends, not parents. They'll just buy their kids the games anyways, like what's currently happening.

[AlTech]

Just now, Drak3 said:

Too bad it won't work. The issue is that today's "parents" want to be their kids' friends, not parents. They'll just buy their kids the games anyways, like what's currently happening.

Well, if they buy the game and then they let their kid gamble then that's on them for letting their kids break the law.

[Drak3]

Just now, AluminiumTech said:

Well, if they buy the game and then they let their kid gamble then that's on them for letting their kids break the law.

A) The sale to minors is breaking the law

B) The law is unenforceable unless govt. decides to illegally monitor everyone's activities via web cams, and make covering them up or being out of view when doing x activity illegal.

 

And this is just more reason for me to consider Washington a state of idiots.

[ItsMitch]

Won't even work though, good reason to waste resources on it tho

[Seefer]

18 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Well, if they buy the game and then they let their kid gamble then that's on them for letting their kids break the law.

By the same token parents let their kids gamble with Pokemon packs or whatever the hell is the big thing for trading cards these days, also they would have to regulate trading card games on PC as well because you can buy packs for Hearthstone not sure on others.

[Guest]

Its a good step in the right direction. There does need to be a big crackdown on this.

[Taf the Ghost]

39 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Too bad it won't work. The issue is that today's "parents" want to be their kids' friends, not parents. They'll just buy their kids the games anyways, like what's currently happening.

Age 21 tag on Games is going to cause hell within the gaming community. It means all of the digital distribution platforms will have to verify the Age of the purchaser. No more Alt-Coin purchases. ID Verification for your signup account.

 

Oh, and then we get to the issue of selling games across State Lines. There's a reason no one was stupid enough to push this issue to this point. But, well, EA.

[Seefer]

47 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

Its a good step in the right direction. There does need to be a big crackdown on this.

Gonna crack down on trading card games too? Do you know what this crap would mean to those industries? Not to mention any other game of chance that kids play?

[Drak3]

37 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Age 21 tag on Games is going to cause hell within the gaming community. It means all of the digital distribution platforms will have to verify the Age of the purchaser. No more Alt-Coin purchases. ID Verification for your signup account.

 

Oh, and then we get to the issue of selling games across State Lines. There's a reason no one was stupid enough to push this issue to this point. But, well, EA.

It also punishes those of you that refuse to buy them at all, and those of us that buy one or two on rare occassion. Just to try to stop kids being kids and bad parents being bad parents, which doesn't work.

[MetEishYa]

38 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Age 21 tag on Games is going to cause hell within the gaming community. It means all of the digital distribution platforms will have to verify the Age of the purchaser. No more Alt-Coin purchases. ID Verification for your signup account.

 

Oh, and then we get to the issue of selling games across State Lines. There's a reason no one was stupid enough to push this issue to this point. But, well, EA.

Very true and if it is classified as gambling, responsible gambling must be promoted in game with details on gambling help lines and other details. The companies will also have to provide funding to gambling addiction programmes which will cut into profits.

 

Im not 100% sure but does Playstation and Xbox even allow Age 21 games on the platform?

 

The age restriction will also apply to any streaming of the game as well.

[Taf the Ghost]

38 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

It also punishes those of you that refuse to buy them at all, and those of us that buy one or two on rare occassion. Just to try to stop kids being kids and bad parents being bad parents, which doesn't work.

The hope would be the big publishers get together and work out something with the States pursuing this. Some specific rules for what counts as a "loot box" and what counts as "gambling". My assumption is we're going to see an axe on "Pay for Random Progression", while leaving Cosmetics in random chance alone.

[AlTech]

Just now, Taf the Ghost said:

The hope would be the big publishers get together and work out something with the States pursuing this. Some specific rules for what counts as a "loot box" and what counts as "gambling". My assumption is we're going to see an axe on "Pay for Random Progression", while leaving Cosmetics in random chance alone.

Nope. Not gonna happen. At least not with only 1 state doing this.

 

If all 50 states do this then yes something might be worked out.

[Taf the Ghost]

34 minutes ago, MetEishYa said:

Very true and if it is classified as gambling, responsible gambling must be promoted in game with details on gambling help lines and other details. The companies will also have to provide funding to gambling addiction programmes which will cut into profits.

 

Im not 100% sure but does Playstation and Xbox even allow Age 21 games on the platform?

 

The age restriction will also apply to any streaming of the game as well.

Yup. It's a gigantic mess if it gets fully tagged as gambling. Valve actually has the most interest in preventing this, given their monetization scheme among their big games. We're going to be in the realm of setting rules for things being "Magic The Gathering"-like and being Gambling-like. 

[Taf the Ghost]

2 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Nope. Not gonna happen. At least not with only 1 state doing this.

 

If all 50 states do this then yes something might be worked out.

I know we can count on EA to be greedy idiots of grand effect, but I would hope the other big publishers got together and worked something out. Then forced it on EA. Or the Gaming space gets really nasty, really fast.

[Thermosman]

we need to get off these continued resolutions for the budget before doing this  

[MetEishYa]

8 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Nope. Not gonna happen. At least not with only 1 state doing this.

 

If all 50 states do this then yes something might be worked out.

Countries in Europe are also looking it to this and have ask the EU to also.

If one state does this then the others will be more likely to follow, since they can now apply gambling taxes to the game.

 

[BachChain]

As much as I hate loot boxes, I can't see them being classified as gambling, since you always get *something*.

[dizmo]

One senator saying something will have little effect. If a lot of them got on board, then maybe. Changing the rating will change nothing. Kids already play rated M games. 

 

2 hours ago, Drak3 said:

A) The sale to minors is breaking the law

B) The law is unenforceable unless govt. decides to illegally monitor everyone's activities via web cams, and make covering them up or being out of view when doing x activity illegal.

 

And this is just more reason for me to consider Washington a state of idiots.

I think it's more a senator trying to gain a little publicity. A lot of states allow parents to decide what their kids can do, regardless of what the purchase age is. Alcohol consumption, for example. 

1 hour ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Age 21 tag on Games is going to cause hell within the gaming community. It means all of the digital distribution platforms will have to verify the Age of the purchaser. No more Alt-Coin purchases. ID Verification for your signup account.

 

Oh, and then we get to the issue of selling games across State Lines. There's a reason no one was stupid enough to push this issue to this point. But, well, EA.

Haha no it won't. It'll require the ticking of a box and inputting your birthdate, perhaps a credit card. Which, surprise surprise, is easily worked around. 

12 minutes ago, BachChain said:

As much as I hate loot boxes, I can't see them being classified as gambling, since you always get *something*.

Thats not the definition of gambling though. 

[Princess Luna]

17 minutes ago, BachChain said:

As much as I hate loot boxes, I can't see them being classified as gambling, since you always get *something*.

Well you get something but if this something is worthless isn't it the same as not getting anything? like invest 100 dollars in CS:GO Keys and end up with just skins worth the penny? You still lost every thing.

[Doobeedoo]

Loot boxes are unnecessary trash that end to make many as crack addicts. More so a system to make people come back to game that I guess doesn't hold them, cause loot boxes > gamepla though. 

Wish that games would rather have unlock system which is just way better. But yeah of course how do you capitalize on that. You capitalize on flashy rng systems that sheeps adore. 

[Energycore]

2 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

If the bill finds Loot Box mechanics to be considered gambling, games and apps featuring them will not be allowed to be sold to minors

And there would go the vast majority of most multiplayer games' audience. About fucking time.

Keep in mind this is just Washington saying "We'll look into it", not actually a bill passed.

22 minutes ago, BachChain said:

As much as I hate loot boxes, I can't see them being classified as gambling, since you always get *something*.

You always get something on the slot machine as well. Even though sometimes it's a lot less valuable than the money you put in there.