Fri 7 Dec 2018 3:02AM
Should Loot Boxes in Video games be considered under gambling laws?
Daymond Goulder-Horobin
Public
Seen by 74
This one is for our gamers.
I have noticed a number of countries have recently put loot boxes such as from Overwatch as an example fall under gambling. I am thinking of creating a petition on behalf of the party to follow the example of Belgium in terms of considering Loot Boxes purchased with real money to fall under the definition of gambling.
However, I do not want this to actually impact users being able to play games. Rather just that it falls under the definition and maybe R18+ ID required to purchase loot boxes so children do not go into it.
What do you guys think?
Geoff Anderson · Sun 9 Dec 2018 1:27AM
Internet Party Policy Incubator
Should Loot Boxes in Video games be considered under gambling laws?
This slippery slope question;- affects policy(?) and how to deal with similar situations???
The bigger question: Does the Internet party, have a policy of protecting people from themselves?
Ultimately this is a human rights and personal freedoms question.
Example:
Does the Internet Party presume to tell people how to manage their own moneys or choice of entertainment?
Yes I’m playing devils advocate; but there are many things that aren’t good for the whole society.
If one carves away at all these potential dangers, sooner or later there will be no personal freedoms left.
Seems there are 3 option paths
1 banning or blocking anything harmful to societies more vulnerable members…
2 using existing laws and applying them to block the sharks… (by behaviour?)
3 Create an awareness plan and let people make their own informed decisions…
My personal opinion is a mix of all 3.
Its not hard to see that ‘the loot box example’ is targeting & training behaviours and that, the more of these examples out there, the more difficult they will be to undo.
Almost all ‘product designing & marketing’ take into account the “human response”.
Taking advantage of social conditioning, failure to read internet contracts, hidden charges, creative advertising; my point is, you could make a list of the ways business, countermeasures, and personal freedoms conflict.
The ‘Fair trading act’ is another option if the gambling act is difficult to apply.
The internet has changed the rules more than any time in history.
The profits have been huge and fair play has taken a beating.
Currently we are part of the product to be used and manipulated; do we have a policy that turns that around?
Loot box’s are a symptom and yes needs a patch, but bigger issues need to be understood before a more complete solution is found.
Sorry I didn’t mean to go so far off subject; I just see, all these other issued linked together…