Loot Boxes and Gambling (UK)

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Pawtato, Jul 2, 2020.

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  1. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    I probably sound like a grumpy old man now: but 25 years ago, you didn't develop games in an attempt to become a billionaire, you developed games because you liked it and was passionate about the artform. The transition to the "triple-A" industry attracted the wrong kind of greedy corporations...:(

    The industry badly needs a set of ethical rules...I hope this is the beginning. :)
    Fenthen and Nadisia like this.
  2. Benito EQ player since 2001.

    It creates the perception that you can one day “hit it big” by coming across any rare trading card.

    Some cards in the packs (including baseball cards) can be worth thousands regardless.
  3. Tappin Augur

    A lot of countries already regulated cards, the fact that US doesn’t is irrelevant.
  4. Waring_McMarrin Augur


    Yes they can be worth thousands but that is pretty unlikely to happen for anything that isn't an older card that is no longer in print. I don't think you will find many people who will think they can go out and buy a pack and return that much in value.
  5. Corwyhn Lionheart Guild Leader, Lions of the Heart

    And nowadays with all the collector card games they build rares into the system. I remember when you just collected cards hockey, baseball, batman, planet of apes cards, super hero cards etc etc just for fun :) I guess I am a grumpy old man too heh heh.

    And where I grew up we use to play knocksies for cards.. set some cards up against a wall then knock them down by flicking cards at them and whoever got the last one down got all the cards thrown. The good old days :)
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  6. Benito EQ player since 2001.

    Can you give examples of regulation?

    I am very curious because loot boxes will be difficult to regulate if game companies can point to unregulated trading cards.

    Unlike esports, there is less of a “in your face” gambling mechanic (monetary gain) with both loot boxes and trading cards.
  7. Benito EQ player since 2001.

    You can still find baseball, Pokémon, and ‘Magic: The Gathering’ card packs at your Walmart (check out or electronics). Even though the fad has nearly ceased, there is an audience for them.

    I am curious because it will be difficult to regulate loot boxes if there is no analogous regulation for trading card packs.
  8. Nadisia Augur

    I don't know specifically for trading cards, but for loot boxes, some countries like Belgium, or Netherlands, or Australia have already published stuff on the topic.

    Belgium: https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/8eru1c/belgian_gaming_commission_judges_after_analysis/
    Netherlands : https://dutchgamesassociation.nl/news/loot-boxes-netherlands-gaming-authoritys-findings/
    Australia : https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/9h0z0f/loot_boxes_are_psychologically_akin_to_gambling/

    And iirc, I've also seen some stuff for China and South Korea, but I can't find the links atm (I'm on mobile , and it's a pita :))
  9. Soulbanshee Augur

    Trading card were brought up in this thread but there's another avenue that specifically targets kids that regulations would kill: toy blind boxes. As paid game of chance is getting prevalent in video games, there are a number of toy manufacturers that all they produce now are blind boxes. It's built the same sort of way, have a set of toys that may only be produced for a limited amount of time and build in a manufactured rarity. You don't know what you are going to get, and specifically market to kids. It seems like every other toy commercial is for one of these things nowadays. It would be interesting to see what (if any) kind of regulations come down across the board and how it ends up enforced.
  10. Waring_McMarrin Augur


    Yes, you can find those packs at stores. However the cards that are actually worth a lot of money are the ones that are no longer in print. You will not find anywhere near the same value in cards that you have a chance at getting from going to the store and opening a bunch of packs. The value in them comes from the fact that you have to find someone who is willing to part with a copy they have or unopened packs that they have.
  11. dreamweaver Community Manager

    This is definitely a situation since it grew out of a different thread I'd prefer we didnt necro one that has been dormant for 6 months.
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