Star Wars Battlefront loot boxes investigation continues, say Belgian authorities

Update: There may be some confusion in the air due to foreign translation. While everyone in the media has cited a VTM News report, now RTBF claims that the Belgian Gambling Commission has not in fact declared loot boxes to be gambling. While the Belgian Gambling Commission has made comments that it would like to ban loot boxes, the investigation is still in progress. We'll keep an eye on this and be sure to update you.

Original story...

The Belgian Gambling Commission has decided that loot boxes in Star Wars Battlefront II constitute gambling, and the practice should be banned.

Last week the gambling authority turned its eye towards the issue and since concluded that loot boxes present a danger to children.

VTM News reported that Belgian minister of justice Koen Geens said the gambling commission will take the matter to Europe.

The Dutch authorities joined the recent investigation too, and while a decision has yet to be reached, arriving at the same conclusion as Belgium doesn't seem unlikely.

Accompanying the news was an announcement that Hawaiian legislators are also considering action against loot boxes in games.

At a press conference, Hawaiian democratic state representative Chris Lee described Battlefront II as a "Star Wars-themed online casino," warning that it was a "trap" for children.

"We're looking at legislation this coming year which could prohibit access, or prohibit sale of these games to folks who are under age in order to protect families, as well as prohibiting different kinds of mechanisms within those games," he said.

"We've been talking with several other states as well, with legislators there who are looking at the same thing. I think this is the appropriate time to make sure that these issues are addressed before this becomes the new norm for every game."

At the same press conference, fellow representative Sean Quinlan draw comparison to '80s and '90s cigarette mascot Joe Camel.

"We didn't allow Joe Camel to encourage our kids to smoke cigarettes, and we shouldn't allow Star Wars to encourage our kids to gamble," he said.

Writing recently for GamesIndustry.biz, Rob Fahey warned against interference from legislators if publishers overstepped the mark with loot boxes.

"There's a real chance that companies involved in this are on the hook for permitting minors access to a gambling platform," he suggested.

"If the games business doesn't figure out where the sensible limits to this kind of business model lie, they risk a public outcry leading to regulators stepping in."

Avoiding a moral panic has never been a strength of games, but with politicians across the world diving into the fray, the industry could find itself facing another assault from the mainstream media and outside pundits.