The Netherlands Classifies Loot Boxes In Dota 2 And Three Other Games As Gambling
And so it begins.
Eurogamer is reporting that the Dutch Gaming Authority has declared that loot boxes in Dota 2, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Rocket League, and FIFA 18 are gambling and their developers must acquire gambling licenses to continue to operate in the Netherlands. In particular, those games must remove "addiction-sensitive" elements and "almost-winning" effects by June 20, after which it may "instigate enforcement action" against those games.
Officially, the four games in question were not revealed by the Authority; instead, the list was uncovered by a Dutch news outlet. The Authority examined 10 games and, while it only brought the hammer down on those four, it did state that "all of the loot boxes that were studied could be addictive." Eurogamer speculates that "the 10 most popular games on Twitch" were examined. If that's the case, one wonders how games like Hearthstone, Overwatch, and League of Legends avoided sanctions.
It's unclear exactly how those games will change in the Dutch marketplace. They don't need to make "hard" changes, like limiting sales or publishing odds. Rather, it sounds like they're just need to modify how their loot boxes are presented, which could be open to interpretation. We'll check back in June 20 to see exactly what's been done.
Related Articles
About the Author

Jason Winter is a veteran gaming journalist, he brings a wide range of experience to MMOBomb, including two years with Beckett Media where he served as the editor of the leading gaming magazine Massive Online Gamer. He has also written professionally for several gaming websites.
Read Next
Here's How RIFT Prime Raids Will Work
A major focus of the most recent RIFT Prime patch is the introduction of two 10-man raids: Drowned Halls and Gilded Prophecy.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 5 years agoYou May Enjoy
Star Citizen’s Alpha 3.20 Update Adds A Lot To The Game, Including New Ways To Expand Your Criminal Career
The update overhauls the in-game Arena Commander module.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 6 days agoDead By Daylight Developer Update Addresses "Face-Camping" And Drones
There's also improvements for the Shattered Square and MacMillan Estate maps.
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 1 week agoBungie Shows Off Destiny 2's New Supers And Addresses The Crafting Issues
Also, the Jumpmaster campaign goes live and deterministic recoil for specific weapons was introduced.
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 4 days agoMore Details On The International — Dota 2's Major Tournament — Have Been Revealed
You can still attend in-person, but you better be quick about it!
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 1 day agoUbisoft Montreal Implements New Partial Return-To-The-Office Policy For Employees
This decision contradicts the company's earlier stance, when it expressed a desire for a hybrid working model.
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 1 week agoSoulframe Will Take Major Queues From Warframe When It Comes To How Content Is Released
Fans of Warframe should be really excited.
By Troy Blackburn - 6 days ago
Discussion (3)