Regulation of loot boxes in video games

That this House notes that the Government’s recent call for evidence on the use of loot boxes in video games concluded that they may be linked to a range of potential harms and that there is a correlation between purchasing loot boxes and problem gambling as, while they do not meet the definition of gambling under the Gambling Act 2005 because the prize cannot be converted into money, they commonly provide a random reward which makes the purchase a gamble and are offered to the player in the heat of the game thereby putting the player under pressure to make the purchase; further notes that research by GambleAware highlighted that 93 per cent of children regularly play video games, with 25-40 per cent of them having purchased loot boxes; is concerned at the continued unregulated use of loot boxes in online games, particularly those aimed at children; welcomes the decision to have a DCMS-led technical working group to strengthen industry-led protections for children and adults to support safe gaming; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to remove loot boxes from games classified as Under 18 and to limit the cost and total expenditure of such in-game purchases.