gaming and gambling

Several Gambling Authorities Have Signed a Document of Concerns Over Gaming and Gambling

We haven’t heard, yet, what’s truly going on in the recent situation between Electronic Arts and the Belgian government. However, that doesn’t mean the entire global response to the ongoing loot box issue in on hold until that story develops further. Today, the UK gambling commission published a letter, declaring that various countries and specifically their gambling-adjacent government bodies have some “concerns” about the current situation in video games. 16 regulatory bodies have signed this document, including one within the United States.

The letter, which is only a page in length, was discussed and drafted during the 2018 Gambling Regulators European Forum. It states that while there are differences between each organization, they are similar in their pursuit to protect consumers, children, integrity, fairness, and especially children. They’re deemed worth mentioning twice in this case.

The document states that these bodies are “increasingly concerned” with gambling-like features showing up in games, including practices like skin betting, loot boxes, and gambling themed content, which might mean mobile games that resemble things like slot machines but don’t directly ask for money.

The document urges gaming companies to reach out to gambling authorities to work on individual solutions, and hopes that the document itself acts as a catalyst to get those conversations moving.

The signature page on the document includes Directors, Chiefs, and otherwise leaders of gambling authorities from major countries such as France, Ireland, the UK, Spain, the USA in the state of Washington specifically, and many more.

[Source: Original Document]

 

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