Is buying loot boxes in games the same as online gambling?
It has been possible to gamble legally since October 2021 at New Zealand online casinos . Of course, a player must be 18 years or older. However, this does not apply to loot boxes in games. Children under the age of 18 can purchase a loot box without any effort. The big question is that whether loot boxes are similar to online gambling. There is enough to say about that. The player will bet an amount of money in online gambling and try to win back more money.
Lootboxes can purchase a videogamer and an item or upgrade will be awarded for it. A lootbox can therefore be seen as a purchase, as we also do in the store. However, it is unknown what exactly the player buys, so it can again be seen as gambling. It is a difficult question, which is best answered by yourself.
Loot boxes
A loot box is also called a box, a crate or a package in a video game. It sounds strange, but inside the object there are certain items that can be used in the video game. Since the items are not yet visible, the player cannot know that he or she is buying exactly. Some items that often drop by are clothing items, weapons, power-ups, protection objects, and football players. It depends a bit on what game it is. A lootbox can also come by a different name, such as a booster pack or a lockbox.
A player can get a loot box in several ways. Most loot boxes are available in the game's online store. A "real" amount of money will then have to be deposited. Payment can be made with virtual money or by credit card ( Show or MasterCard ), ideal and PayPal . Loot boxes can also know the player from mobile games played via an application on the smartphone. In this case, the player can pay through the App Store account or Google Play Store account. They are microtransactions, but the danger lies in the fact that a player loses track and suddenly spends large sums by making many transactions.
Loot boxes are also rewards that the player can receive for free in a video game. For example, by reaching a new level or performing well in a tournament. Possible promotions are also available, for example, there are game developers who pay out rewards when someone watches the streaming events on Twitch.
Loot box chance in FIFA
FIFA is one of the most famous sports games in the world. Around 89 million matches are played daily and more than 5 billion goals are scored. In FIFA, the player can create their own team in the "FIFA Ultimate Team" section. An important part within FUT is that the player is allowed to open packs of players. The packs the participant can buy or earn by playing a lot and achieving good results. For a long time it was unknown what was in the player packs. However, the game company has decided to indicate the chance of a good player.
There are all kinds of different packages available, both expensive and cheap packages. The probability of a player with a high score is therefore higher when a player opens an expensive package. For example, the probability of a player aged 84+ is 8.6% in a Premium Gold package, while the probability increases to 11% in a Premium Gold players package. The chance of a player from the Team of the Season is very minimal with 1.00% in a Premium Gold package. Simply put, if a player spends more money then the chance of a nice reward is a lot greater.
The vulnerable group
The loot boxes are sold online through a game and are very accessible. First of all, it concerns micro-purchases, which means that only small amounts are deposited for the boxes. In addition, everyone can buy the loot boxes, including minors. There is no protection for vulnerable groups, as there are no other rules. Thanks to the pay-to-win principle, the player will continuously feel the urge to make a purchase. A good example is FIFA, in which only the players with the best football players can be successful. There are also new and improved players added to the game, which creates an urge to buy again and again.
Regulation
In New Zealand, there is currently no regulation regarding loot boxes. That's different in Australia, for example, where FIFA players can't buy packs and earn them only by gaming. There are many Belgian players who circumvent the rules by creating or even buying a New Zealand account.
Sandra Molenaar, directNZD Consumentenbod, also hopes for a quick regulation. “ There must be a ban on the deceptive design of the loot boxes. And an obligation to be transpaZodiac about the actual cost. Plus extra protection for minors. Games for minors must not offer loot boxes for real money and they must not contain’ pay-to-win ' mechanisms. And that must be regulated internationally, i.e. at the dollar-Pean level. ”
Council of State
FIFA creator EA was fined by the Gaming Authority (Ksa) in 2019. The playmaker challenged the penalty and the case eventually ended up with the Council of State. The Council of State then ruled that the loot boxes should not be seen as an illegal Game of chance, but rather an important part of a big game. The packages only add a chance element to the sports game.
Conclusion
The loot boxes play an important part in a large number of games, both for a game console and on a smartphone. A big problem is that the player cannot yet know for sure what is in a loot box, which makes it somewhat similar to a gambling akin. However, the player always receives a reward, so the buyer will never be left empty-handed. Nevertheless, the reward can also be particularly disappointing and the value can be lower than the purchase amount. The loot boxes are part of the game and are not a standalone game. So, Loot boxes in games can't really compare to casino games like online roulette and slots . If you yourself get into trouble because of the many purchases in a video game, then it is wise to seek help.