Culture Secretary has urged video game companies to do more to prevent children from making in-game purchases called loot boxes.
Nadin Dolly wants to make loot boxes unavailable to children and adolescents without the approval of their parents or guardians.
The request for evidence regarding loot boxes was initiated in 2020 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS).
It turns out that players who purchase loot boxes are more likely to experience gambling, mental health, and financial harm. The risk to children and adolescents can also be high.
Loot boxes are a type of in-game purchase for some video games. Players can buy loot boxes for real money and receive random items such as “power-ups” to increase their competitiveness in the game and “cosmetic” items such as virtual clothing.
Some gaming platforms, such as the Xbox, have already taken steps to improve protection, including options for children under the age of 18 to require parental permission to spend money in-game.
The government has said it wants to strengthen this by providing stronger protection for children throughout the gaming industry, adding that it may consider the law if the company does not function well.
Ms. Dolly’s said:
“Game companies and platforms need to do more to ensure that controls and age limits are applied to protect players from the risk of gambling harm.
“Children should be able to enjoy the game safely while giving parents and guardians the peace of mind they need.”
DCMS has formed a new working group of companies, platforms and regulators to develop measures to reduce the risk of harm to players.
This includes parental controls and measures such as making transparent and accessible information available to all players.
The Evidence Request also plans to launch a new video game research framework to support the discovery of the need for better evidence to improve understanding of the positive and negative impacts of video games.
Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, the UK’s leading industry association, said:
“In 2020, TIGA will formally adopt five principles to protect players, designed to embody the spirit of the approach that gaming companies should take when operating in the UK. did.
“Children and adolescents cannot buy a” loot box “in a video game without the consent of their parents.
“TIGA also believes that vulnerable adults need to be protected from the potential harm that can result from loot boxes.
“TIGA looks forward to contributing to DCMS’ planned working group to take steps to protect players from potential harm.”
