Picolete:

The government should stay away from everything.

Total unregulation. Yeah, that has always worked very well. /s

Best way to handle this is on the consumer side. With our wallets.

Sooo...are they going to ban other forms of gambling too? Or , are those ok because state takes money from it?

gx-x:

Sooo...are they going to ban other forms of gambling too? Or , are those ok because state takes money from it?

depend on what you mean by other forms of gambling

Lottery? Scratch cards? Everything in casinos? They have one common thing: taxation. Unlike loot boxes. It's tax free gambling. That cannot be left in that form. They need to either pay the gambling taxes (whatever those are called, I am not from US), or remove them in their current form, because every other form of gambling has a "gambling" tax attached to it. Of course, we are talking about services that customer pays for and someone profits from it. The gambling is regulated, payed loot boxes are not (yet).

gx-x:

Lottery? Scratch cards? Everything in casinos? They have one common thing: taxation. Unlike loot boxes. It's tax free gambling. That cannot be left in that form. They need to either pay the gambling taxes (whatever those are called, I am not from US), or remove them in their current form, because every other form of gambling has a "gambling" tax attached to it. Of course, we are talking about services that customer pays for and someone profits from it. The gambling is regulated, payed loot boxes are not (yet).

haha...Great Point^...The Lottery here is a big scam!...they get half of all sales then tax half again if you win big.....less than 25% of total sales goes to winner. and yet a friendly card game for a few bucks with my buddy is illegal.

gx-x:

Lottery? Scratch cards? Everything in casinos? They have one common thing: taxation. Unlike loot boxes. It's tax free gambling. That cannot be left in that form. They need to either pay the gambling taxes (whatever those are called, I am not from US), or remove them in their current form, because every other form of gambling has a "gambling" tax attached to it. Of course, we are talking about services that customer pays for and someone profits from it. The gambling is regulated, payed loot boxes are not (yet).

Lottery or Scratch cards those are State or Gov run Everybody must have obtain legal gambling licenses even one's on a Indian reservation The other online gambling are outside the US must be geo block.

fantaskarsef:

Somebody's waiting for his lobbying check. 🙄 When do people realise that maybe it's the parents that's supposed to protect their kids form stuff like that...

Those parents could also be into loot boxes, especially if they are whales. Very few people actually buy loot boxes - it's the whales, who spend thousands of dollars on a single game, who drive this industry. It's basically a way for the rich to entertain themselves and gain a fast track to success, as they do in real life (at the expense of the poor, who need to put up with the grind). Personally, I never thought gambling was the main issue with loot boxes - even if you remove the gambling bit, loot boxes would still be a problem (it just means the grind will be even grindier). People will still be encouraged to pay to win, which, IMO, is the real issue. It encourages a worldview where you can buy your way to success, where money solves all problems (as opposed to skill or dedication). Forget about working hard and playing fairly, just bribe your way to the top! It also encourages a culture of instant gratification, where patience is not a virtue and working your way to the top is a fool's errand. This, in my opinion, is far more damaging psychologically.

airbud7:

haha...Great Point^...The Lottery here is a big scam!...they get half of all sales then tax half again if you win big.....less than 25% of total sales goes to winner. and yet a friendly card game for a few bucks with my buddy is illegal.

Sure, but it's regulated. For example, in every country slot machines must have % set for win. It doesn't matter what is it, it's state mandated and regulated. If your slot machine has a lower % of win rate set - fine is hefty, and license probably revoked. Now, loot boxes also have % chance to get something that you want, and the rest is junk. So they are basically like slot machines. Considering how many people buy these loot boxes (gamble) and how they are not regulated, let alone taxed, they lived long enough. I read that EA's profits are over 80% card packs (gambling) and they pay 0% tax on that. Watch how EA burns down, card packs have been banned in some countries already, look at their stock price...Anthem didn't help either 😀

Personally, I never thought gambling was the main issue with loot boxes

You are correct. Gambling is not an issue, as long as they (company) PAY gambling taxes and have win % regulated. Which they don't. They sell you the game (or it's f2p, doesn't matter), and on top of that they sell you loot boxes. Government is not really concerned about the user, they are concerned primarily about their share, and the optics of it from perspective of the others that offer services and are regulated and pay taxes on gambling, or fee, or w/e it's called. You at least need to pay for license. I am talking from the government side of things. From my personal view, even cosmetic gambling is a problem (for example loot boxes in path of exile)

fantaskarsef:

What really upsets me is that still there's other stuff IRL that's just as easy to get but nobody argues. Does that senator work against collectible card games printed on paper? Baseball, basketball, football collectibles? No. Same issues though. Or like here in Europe where football / soccer's a big thing, and with every other year an event like world championships or European championships makes kids buy packs of stickers for their collections with just the same drop model as lootboxes in games. Still nothing against that. Make your parents buy more sweets or serial packs to get to win the very special gift in there? Where's the voice against such "gambling aimed at kids" there? That's hypocracy...

I might agree with u at the philosophical level but u know, u have to start from somewhere. If collectible cards become a reason/excuse to not ban loot boxes for kids then loot boxes become a reason/excuse to not ban collective cards an we are doomed. I think it's better if u see the half full glass, get this done first and then use it as precedent to push for the next thing. --------------------------- I really hope this gets banned and regulated to the fifth hell but I doubt it will pass. Heck they are not even paying the same kind of taxes a regular casino has to pays and nobody actually checks and ensures the gamble "fairness"......

Our Gov has so many more important things to focus on, like the China embargoes

Look to be honest i would be OK with loot boxes as long as those are no more products of the videogame industry but become some sort of highly interactive slot machines. At that point if developers are fine to label them as that they can move forward. You cannot really forbid things nowadays, but just say does are not videogames. Also maybe put a tax on who wants to review/sell those and ask a percentage on the gains as the state does with any betting related activity. In some countries you should be registered to be able to play such games to betting registry, profiling you as an high risk for loans and such things.

Although such a bill I think would improve the gaming industry, I'm not exactly fond of the idea that this is a government-controlled thing. I think an age limit or added tax on loot boxes would be fine, though.

sverek:

Not knowing what you going to get is the issue imo.

Considering you're paying with real money, I agree that this is the real issue.

Please, introduce me to a senator that wants to propose a bill against alcohol.

I assume you mean current? Because there was that whole prohibition era in the US. That being said, last time there were alcohol restrictions at the federal level, it didn't pan out so well. Some states today still have some pretty damn strict alcohol laws, like Utah for example. Many state-specific alcohol laws are relatively recent.

TheDeeGee:

I'm fine with banning lootboxes, but i fear developers will find other ways to milk money. Imagine ending up having to pay a monthly sub for each developer...

That's a good point, but the key is to boycott publishers who are very obviously catering to shareholders. The ones who don't do this don't seem to pull this stupid loot box crap. There were people who paid a monthly fee for WoW. I'm actually a little surprised that model hasn't become more widespread, though I'm glad it hasn't.

Some people are also missing the point with some of this, and anyone whom does not have children wont understand. It's not so much the spending (yes parents control) which is a too simplistic look at it. Children more so than adults (conditioned over time) suffer from FOMO, the gaming industry know this more than anyone else. I have seen it first hand with my son's school mates, its not the spending that's the problem its more so the increased bullying about not having the latest battlepass or emote or skin. whilst this can be said for other industries such as phones or brand names clothes, its not nearly as big and unregulated as the gaming industry. But at the same time they could maybe not ban outright, limit some how items that have to be 18+ like lottery and such. this could as well could also mean a lot of games will be either adult content (apparently adults are meant to be smarter) and then child content, and then we'll see how the gaming industry reacts as it will show that more child friendly games come out and shows the FOMO predatory practices as the industry. also one thing as well, if anyone states children should not be playing games - what age were you when you started gaming and what age rated games did you play, if young do you admit your parents did just as a bad job as those your blaming for loot box spending.

I have good vibes about this , hopefully the law will pass and shall set an example for future laws against loot boxes / gambling on games / vapor ware / Digital Ponzi Scheme games

I'd like to see microtransactions clubbed to death, frankly. Putting this crap into games, even it it's just virtual in-game money, is just conditioning for using real $ transactions in games. Hope it dies an agonizing, prolonged death. Nothing has as much potential to ruin computer gaming, imo.

scaredchimp:

Children more so than adults (conditioned over time) suffer from FOMO, the gaming industry know this more than anyone else. I have seen it first hand with my son's school mates, its not the spending that's the problem its more so the increased bullying about not having the latest battlepass or emote or skin. whilst this can be said for other industries such as phones or brand names clothes, its not nearly as big and unregulated as the gaming industry.

Those are some good points, but kids will always find a way to do such things. The gaming industry may be under-regulated but the behaviors you speak of can't be escaped. Kids can be pretty selfish and cruel, and the relatively anonymity of online games only enforces such behaviors. In other words, ban or limit lootboxes in games and kids are still going to find ways to bully each other over who has what. A lot of this [ironically] comes down to kids wanting to be liked more, or seen as being cooler than everyone else. In my own life experience, I've found the wealthier your child's surroundings are (your own income, as well as the child's friends wealth), the more that child will experience a superiority complex among himself/herself and peers.

also one thing as well, if anyone states children should not be playing games - what age were you when you started gaming and what age rated games did you play, if young do you admit your parents did just as a bad job as those your blaming for loot box spending.

Hahaha I think you're preaching to the wrong crowd here. I don't think a single Guru3D member would say kids shouldn't play video games.

A good step. Purchasing something where you don't know what you get is basically gambling. I'm all for gambling laws (or equivalent) to apply for such things. Once more countries make laws to prohibit such crap, we'll start to see less and less such deplorable mechanics in games and publishers will have to release better games to make money once more. The better the game, the better it sells. No need for "microtransactions".

People make the choice to pay ridiculous amounts for this stuff. Don't buy a game that forces these transactions and developers will stop pimping them out. I have no problem with loot boxes because I don't buy shit that incorporates them, or, incorporates them with a pay wall. Destiny 2 and Division 2 are examples of what I play that does a fine job of avoiding micro transactions. I still don't get people that pay $5 bucks for a virtual shirt, for a virtual character. But that's where we are in society. Government has bigger things to fix. Video games don't need this attention.

Gambling has no place in games or for players below the age of 18 and it was bound to happen as the ESRB won't do anything as long as they get money from the big corporations.