According to a report by The News Tribune, Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker introduced a bill to regulate loot boxes in gaming as he deems these and similar mechanics are designed to prey on children. Ranker told the outlet…
“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.”
If loot boxes are find to be a form of gambling, it could cause some major changes to video games. Since gambling is illegal to those under the age of 18 or 21 (depending on the state), it could make games containing loot boxes an automatic M for Mature rating and be illegal for anyone under the age of 17 to purchase the game. Since some states have laws that make 21 the legal age for gambling, it’s possible that some games could release as Adults Only.
