H
Hannman
Guest
Loot boxes remain a controversial mechanic in video games, with various national governments and gambling regulators investigating whether they should be considered gambling. Now, the UK games industry trade group, UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie), has published guidelines recommending that loot boxes be age-restricted to over 18s.
The Ukie has recommended that loot boxes be made completely unavailable to minors unless enabled by a parent or guardian. Its 11 guidelines include the implementation of technological controls to prevent access by under 18s without parental consent. It also proposes actions be taken to raise awareness of the controls.
Meanwhile, the use of loot boxes in a game must be made clear before purchase or download to allow players to be fully informed. Ukie also proposes the creation of an expert panel on age assurance in the video games industry and a commitment to lenient refund policies on loot boxes purchased without the knowledge of a parent or guardian.
The DCMS has praised the recommendation for parental consent and called on the video games industry to tighten parental controls. It said in a statement: “We welcome the clear commitment in the new industry guidance to use technological controls to restrict anyone under the age of 18 from acquiring a paid loot box without the consent or knowledge of a parent or guardian.
“As part of implementing its guidance, we call on industry to increase and monitor the uptake of parental controls, and to ensure widespread adoption of current best practice of default £0 spending limits on child accounts, applying both to loot boxes and other in-game purchases.”
The Ukie has recommended that loot boxes be made completely unavailable to minors unless enabled by a parent or guardian. Its 11 guidelines include the implementation of technological controls to prevent access by under 18s without parental consent. It also proposes actions be taken to raise awareness of the controls.
Meanwhile, the use of loot boxes in a game must be made clear before purchase or download to allow players to be fully informed. Ukie also proposes the creation of an expert panel on age assurance in the video games industry and a commitment to lenient refund policies on loot boxes purchased without the knowledge of a parent or guardian.
The DCMS has praised the recommendation for parental consent and called on the video games industry to tighten parental controls. It said in a statement: “We welcome the clear commitment in the new industry guidance to use technological controls to restrict anyone under the age of 18 from acquiring a paid loot box without the consent or knowledge of a parent or guardian.
“As part of implementing its guidance, we call on industry to increase and monitor the uptake of parental controls, and to ensure widespread adoption of current best practice of default £0 spending limits on child accounts, applying both to loot boxes and other in-game purchases.”
