Belgium says loot crates are gambling

[merryprankster]

@MarinusWA

@merryprankster

Well, lootboxes are gambling, and so are CCG’s like Magic: The Gathering.

I’ve been thinking about this ever since this lootbox discussion started. If you look at Heartstone, which uses the digital version of boosterpacks, and note how the system those packs use is exactly the same as the lootboxes in Heroes of the Storm… how are they any different?

The answer of course is… they’re not. Yet that begs the question, if you are buying a MtG boosterpack, what exactly is it you are buying? Fifteen cards obviously, but beyond that? The only difference I can see between that and a Heartstone booster is that with MtG you are guaranteed a particular distribution of card rarity.

Is this gambling? I’m not so certain as most in this thread seem to be. If viewed as “putting down value to gain a random return” then it is gambling. But in the case of lootboxes the return is never zero, which is likely the point any defense is going to hinge on.

I’m conflicted on the matter.

Disclaimer: I don’t care if lootboxes were to go. I like them in HotS because they gave me access to skins I’d never buy given my ‘no spending on FTP games policy’, but overall? Meh.

Interesting thought. You are right, unlike casino gambling your return is never zero. Or is it?

With the rarity dispersion used can it be argued that “junk loot/cards” are tantamount to getting zero? I’d say so, but I’m not sure society has a consensus on this yet.

I think if the rarity curve were flat I might buy the “ you always get something so this isn’t gambling” a bit more, but the system is set up the make you “chase” rarer and more desirable items.

That said, I do think we need parental controls on this stuff no matter what, Kids are just way too susceptible to these sorts of manipulations.