Six Dutch Political Parties Want To Legally Ban Loot Boxes For Good

The line between real life and video games appears to become thinner and thinner with each new generation of games. However, with the evolution of titles came methods of monetizing them differently. Most goliaths in the gaming industry incorporate the implementation of microtransactions and loot boxes.

Loot boxes are among the worst possible ways to monetize a game for gamers but a viable option to make profits. Mainly these payable boxes include cosmetics and aesthetically-pleasing items to appeal to the audience while ensuring that it does not affect other players. This infamous implementation of microtransactions plagues many large corporations leaving the gaming community enraged.

Indie games are often free of this loot box model, but many AAA games are affected by it, hindering the overall experience. The loot boxes are a legal way of gambling by spending real-life money, which becomes a nasty habit. Children appear to be primarily affected by this ritual, which can lead to gambling and be costly for the parents.

Unfortunately, this method has interwoven itself to the point that removing it seems almost improbable. However, gamers have not stopped protesting against it, and governments are also beginning to take measures. A month ago, Spain stepped in to regulate loot boxes, which the gaming community applauded. Fortunately, Dutch political parties are also raising the flag against loot boxes.

The CDA and the other government parties legally want to ban loot boxes in the Netherlands. They have called on the Dutch cabinet to explore the prospects for this and “amend the law where necessary.” The motion is a response to the ruling of the Council of State in March. The movement still has to be voted on in the House of Representatives, but the submitting parties jointly have a large majority in the House.

The six political parties speaking out against loot boxes compromise four parties that make up the cabinet, the Greens and the Socialist Party. They have expressed their worries regarding this monetization method, calling it a “form of gambling,” that “they are addicting,” and that they should be banned entirely from video games.

The petitioners cite in the aforementioned downloadable statement that “children are manipulated” to perform microtransactions. It also states that these transactions are addictive and can “disrupt families,” partly due to “unexpected costs.” It is unclear whether the parties also want to target the broader category of microtransactions, but the ambition seems to focus mainly on loot boxes.

If this notion passes, then loot boxes might get banned in the Netherlands for good. This movement may inspire other governments worldwide to speak out against this notorious way of monetizing video games. The action is undoubtedly a significant step toward curbing the larger problem that plagues modern video games.

What are your thoughts about this notion? Do let us know your opinions in the comments below.

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