EA removes loot boxes following Belgian investigation
Games developer will stop all future loot boxes from being offered to Belgian players
Gaming studio Electronic Arts (EA) will remove loot boxes from the Belgian version of its FIFA game following pressure from the Belgian Gambling Commission (BGC) over links with gambling.
The games developer said it will remove the feature from its current FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) game and the functionality will not feature in any further FIFA titles.
EA was one of four game developers investigated by the Belgian regulator following a request from the Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens.
Geens welcomed the move by EA, saying he was pleased that the developer was putting the “player’s well-being first”.
Under current Belgian regulations, any game which contains a game element that involves a stake which can lead to a gain or loss or in which chance is a factor can be considered gambling under Belgian law.
Following the investigation, the BGC identified FIFA, CS:GO, Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront II as featuring loot boxes which contained these elements, ordering the developers to stop offering these features to Belgian minors.
Developers Activision Blizzard, Valve and 2K all agreed to remove the loot boxes from the Belgian versions of their games following the threat of a regulatory fine and prison sentences of up to five years.
However, EA dismissed the BGC’s assertion that its loot boxes were gambling and refused to remove them, leading Belgian regulators to file a formal complaint with Belgian prosecutors pending legal action.
In September, 17 gambling regulators from across Europe and the US, including the BGC, signed a joint declaration pledging to work together to investigate the so-called “blurring of lines” between gaming and gambling.