FTC to Investigate Loot Boxes in Games

The loot box is something that many gamers pay for, and many players shun like the plague. A loot box lets you pay for some unknown enhancements in your favorite game. Sometimes you get the good stuff, and sometimes you get junk you regret wasting money on. It’s a roll of the dice as to whether or not a loot box is worth the money.

In many countries loot boxes have been banned and categorized as gambling. Polygon reports that the FTC has now agreed to start an investigation into loot boxes after a request from Senator Maggie Hassan. She noted that by 2022 loot boxes will be a $50 billion industry.

Hassan feels that kids are particularly at susceptible to loot boxes and she says they are a “close link” to gambling. They are very much like a scratch-off lottery ticket; you spend minimal money on the hopes of getting something worthwhile from it.

The ESA told Polygon in a statement, “Loot boxes are one way that players can enhance the experience that video games offer. Contrary to assertions, loot boxes are not gambling. They have no real-world value, players always receive something that enhances their experience, and they are entirely optional to purchase. They can enhance the experience for those who choose to use them, but have no impact on those who do not.”