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The Flemish Games Association ( FLEGA ) believe that Belgium ’s crackdown on loot loge is wrong and suggests that the Belgium Gaming Commission ( BGC ) is using the picture gaming industry as a whipping boy . In 2018 , Belgium , along with The Netherlands , determined that video gameloot boxesconstituted a form of illegal gambling and begin to hale game developer into removing them altogether .
Loot box lie in of practical point , such as special weapons and armour , that players purchase with tangible money . In most cases , instrumentalist have no idea what they ’re buying , entail that they may or may not get their money ’s worth . Loot boxes are especially common in multiplayer and free to play games , which use them as a form of monetization . However , because gamers do not hump what they ’re purchasing ahead of time , the BGC see that the practice is illegal according to Belgium ’s gambling law . As such , the BGC threatened fine and clink time for companies who continue to burst those jurisprudence .
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However , accord toGamesIndustry.biz , FLEGA does not believe that loot boxes constitute illegal gambling and palpate that the BGC has below the belt targeted the video gaming industriousness . FLEGA spokesman David Verbruggen believes that the BGC is engaged in a witch hunt against the gaming industry . He allege that the initial BGC report was leaked to the press without discussing the matter with elected commissioning functionary . He also claimed that the BGC did n’t look up with stakeholders in the industry while working on the report . Verbruggen allege :
" Framing is maybe too rough a word , but it finger that way ; it feels like we ’re being set up . Then we ’re demand ourselves , ' Why ? ' What does the commission need to achieve ? Do they want more money for their operations ? Do they require to fund the state treasure chest ? It ’s also about taxation . It ’s about gaming licenses . It ’s about money . You will have to pay the gambling mission to be able to continue to do pay loot boxes . I ’m not talking about a moral dilemma here . "
The BGC , however , disagrees , suggest that FLEGA is wrong . BGC managing director Peter Naessens said he had not learn any previous complaints about the report card being leaked to the press and made confidence that access was made to the final report before fellow member met over it . He also submit that industry stakeholder were consulted and that everyone on the commission unanimously consort with the report . Other rural area also seem to agree with Belgium : in the U.S. , ananti - loot loge bill is gaining ground in the Senate .
Although gamers couldspend up to $ 50 billion on loot boxesin the next four years , the recitation has set forth to fall under serious fire , especially after a U.K. study suggest that video gameloot boxful impart to child play problems . Loot boxes fit the definition of illegal gambling by most commonwealth ' law , and as such , should be regulated . FLEGA is awry in support loot boxes , and it ’s likely that Belgium wo n’t be the only country to ban them .
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Source : GamesIndustry.biz
