Belgian and Hawaiian politicians investigate loot boxes in Star Wars Battlefront 2

The controversy surrounding loot boxes in Star Wars Battlefront 2 has continued as Belgian and Hawaiian politicians have begun to investigate its similarity to gambling and whether it should be considered as such.

Last week, the Belgian Gambling Commission began to investigate loot boxes and whether they constitute gambling, which would greatly affect the industry as gambling requires a person to be over the age of eighteen to indulge. In their decision, the Belgian Gambling Commission have found that Battlefront’s loot boxes are to be looked upon as gambling and would like them to be banned.

This could spark a massive change to gaming worldwide if other countries decide to use Belgian’s decision as a legal precedent. Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens states that:

“Mixing gambling and gaming, especially at a young age, is dangerous for the mental health of the child.”

He would also like the European Union to achieve a total ban on loot boxes.

Similarly, Hawaiian legislators have indicated a desire to investigate loot boxes and have them banned. Hawaiian legislators Chris Lee and Sean Quinlan believe that loot boxes are predatory in nature and can negatively affect children who are unaware that the process is essentially gambling. They also spoke on the fact that loot boxes are rampant in mobile games, but the focus has now shifted to preying on gamers of AAA games.

In the latest news, the Entertainment Software Association have deemed that loot boxes are not gambling as some are free, some are paid and not all affect player progression. They say it should not be banned, and gamers should make the final decision.

The loot box controversy is one of the hottest topics in gaming now – there’s no escaping it.

Many gamers have boycotted Star Wars Battlefront 2 on the grounds of its oppressive progression and loot box system, but many find that there is a middle ground, in that loot boxes may exist if they are merely cosmetic.

In dealing with legislative bans, gamers remain hopeful that this system’s predatory nature is quelled, at least to an extent, as the consumers would most certainly benefit from it. More as it happens.