Loot boxes have become a major source of controversy over the past couple of weeks, with various government entities launching investigations into whether the practice should legally be considered gambling. The UK Gambling Commission is the latest government authority to release its stance on loot boxes in games like Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Overwatch, with it determining that loot boxes in these games should not be considered gambling.

According to UK Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller, loot boxes in games like Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Overwatch aren't gambling because the items obtained in these loot boxes can't be considered money or money's worth. What this means is that the items players get in games like Star Wars Battlefront 2 can't be resold or used outside the game, so they don't fall under the umbrella of gambling activity.

Some critics of Star Wars Battlefront 2's loot box system may be disappointed at the conclusion reached by the UK Gambling Commission. After all, the Belgium government has been much harsher on loot boxes, and has announced plans to push all of Europe to ban them in games sold to minors. Likewise, the state of Hawaii has announced similar intentions, and even went as far as to compare loot boxes in video games to marketing cigarettes to children.

UK politician government loot box gambling inquiry

Even though the UK Gambling Commission determined that loot boxes in video games don't necessarily fall under the legal definition of gambling, it still expressed concerns about the practice. It reiterated its mission to protect children from potentially predatory practices, and it will continue investigating loot boxes in instances where the line between video gaming and gambling is blurred.

The UK Gambling Commission also admitted that just because loot boxes aren't gambling under its definition, it doesn't mean they can't still be harmful to children. It said that parents will expect "proper protections" be put in place to regulate the creation and sale of these games, though it stopped short of revealing how these protections would be implemented.

The UK Gambling Commission's findings are in line with the ESRB's stance on loot boxes, which compared the practice to buying trading card packs. However, it's clear that the loot box controversy is far from over, and it will be interesting to see how the story develops in the coming weeks.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Source: UK Gambling Commission