Loot boxes in video games have caused quite a bit of controversy as of late, with some likening it to gambling, and some wanting to go as far as banning them from games. Recently Washington state Senator Kevin Ranker has introduced a bill that wants these loot boxes to be regulated and has also asked the state’s gambling commission to determine if such mechanics are indeed considered gambling.
Speaking to The News Tribune (via Engadget), Ranker was quoted as saying, “What the bill says is, ‘Industry, state: sit down to figure out the best way to regulate this.’ It is unacceptable to be targeting our children with predatory gambling masked in a game with dancing bunnies or something.”
As far as US authorities are concerned, Ranker isn’t alone in his concern as last year, Hawaii Democrat representative Chris Lee also came forward speaking against loot boxes, particularly that of Star Wars Battlefront II where he was quoted as saying, “This game is a Star Wars-themed online casino designed to lure kids into spending money.”
The News Tribune also cites how some professionals who help to treat addiction say that loot boxes toe the fine line between gaming and gambling, and it is a distinction that children cannot recognize.
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