While the red hot controversy around digital loot boxes has died down somewhat, it still can be a hot button to press for some. The biggest criticism towards it tend to be that it’s basically a glorified form of gambling. Now the head of one of Britain’s highest mental health institutions is echoing that sentiment.
In a statement directly from the official website, Chief Executive of the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust Claire Murdoch called for a ban on all digital loot boxes, saying that they are basically gateways for children to gambling addiction or worse.
“Frankly no company should be setting kids up for addiction by teaching them to gamble on the content of these loot boxes. No firm should sell to children loot box games with this element of chance, so yes those sales should end.”
It’s not the first time that government officials have called for some kind of ban or legislation restricting loot boxes. While most mainstream games have moved away from the loot box system with something more akin to a battle pass system ala Fortnite. But loot boxes are still big business for mobile titles. As of now, only a few countries have created any kind of legislation addressing loot boxes.
