'Star Wars Battlefront II' and 'Overwatch' Being Investigated By Belgian Authorities for Gambling Through Loot Crates
The Belgian Gaming Commission is coming after video games such as "Overwatch" and "Star Wars Battlefront II" to determine whether their loot crates systems could be considered gambling.
Local media outlet VTM News revealed that the Belgian Gaming Commission had placed the said video games under investigation. This is for the government agency to determine whether the game's microtransactions to acquire loot crates was a qualified form of gambling or not, based in the country's implemented laws.
In every country, what qualifies as gambling can be different based on existing laws. In this case, for the Belgian government, Gaming Commission director Peter Naessens explained (via PCGamesN): "If there is a game of chance, it is not possible without a permit from the Gaming Commission."
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Based on the Gaming Commission's official website, they defined a game of chance as something that "cannot be compared to any other kind of economic services." The agency further explained: "They may cause people to become addicted to gambling and cause them to lose a great deal of money."
Once the commission considers something as a game of chance, they are mandated to implement "a number of protective measures ... to protect players against these sorts of potential risks."
PCGamesN added that Electronic Arts and Blizzard Entertainment might be required to pay a fine. However, the Belgian Gaming Commission may also determine whether the games need to be totally removed from the market.
Both "Battlefront II" and "Overwatch" have purchasable loot crates that players can also earn by collecting parts or crafting items.
However, "Battlefront II's" loot crates were reportedly needed to enjoy the full experience of the game. In fact, EA has been heavily criticized by a number of fans because of these. On the other hand, some said "Overwatch's" crates were not really a necessary purchase as they mostly contained add-on cosmetics and items.
EA has already commented on the issue as they maintained that their loot crates system were not a form of gambling.
"The crate mechanics of Star Wars Battlefront II are not gambling. A player's ability to succeed in the game is not dependent on purchasing crates. Players can also earn crates through playing the game and not spending any money at all," EA said in a statement given to Gamespot.
