The UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Support (DCMS) has been criticized for not doing enough to protect children and minors from the negative effects of loot boxes. This comes after the agency fell short of implementing a ban on loot boxes even when the government, through a consultation launched in 2020, had established evidence that the video games feature is associated with problem gambling.
DCMS Chooses Parental Locks Over Loot Box Ban
Instead, the DCMS announced a new “parental lock” requirement for video game platforms, aimed at ensuring that parents and guardians become aware if their children are planning to buy loot boxes and other in-game rewards. This isn’t enough, according to Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, who said that loot boxes expose children and minors to financial and psychological harm.
Current Policy Ineffective
de Souza said the UK needs an effective solution to the problem, not just simple fixes from “voluntary industry action” that won’t produce positive results. She said the purchase of loot boxes leads to compulsive spending among children which is an indicator of problem gambling.
Leading independent gambling harm-prevention consultancy EPIC Risk Management shares similar sentiments, saying the UK government could have introduced an outright ban on loot boxes for children and minors, just like its counterpart in Belgium.
DCMS is not entirely closing its doors to such measures though, saying its existing policy on loot boxes will still be subject to further review.
