LOOT BOX STATE OF PLAY 2023: LAW, REGULATION, POLICY, AND ENFORCEMENT AROUND THE WORLD

Loot boxes can be bought with real-world money inside video games to obtain random items of varying value. Although these mechanics are gambling-like, they are widely available for purchase, including in children's games. Many countries are considering better regulation. The rapid regulatory and policy developments and proposals across the world in recent years are summarized: (i) probability disclosure requirements in Taiwan, South Korea, and China; (ii) enforcement of gambling law in Belgium, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, France, the UK, and Australia; (iii) enforcement of EU consumer protection law in Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK; (iv) age ratings and warning labels in Germany, Australia, and the U.S.; (v) expanding the legal definition of “gambling” so as to encompass loot boxes in Finland and Brazil; (vi) the ambitious dedicated regulatory regime in Spain; (vii) class action civil litigation in the U.S. and Canada; (viii) industry self-regulation in the UK; and (ix) attempts to ban online games of chance in India.