Australian MP Introduces “Loot Box Bill” into the Parliament

> The federal MP for Clark has introduced to parliament a bill focused on 'loot boxes', a video game feature where players gamble to win virtual assets, often with real money. The bill would regulate game classification, requiring all games that feature 'loot boxes' be clearly labelled and carry an R classification – 'in line with the fact that you must be 18 to legally gamble' - Andrew Wilkie.

This bill may not have the highest level of acceptance currently. But I do wonder as it goes through the motions if it will target things like secondary and tertiary in-game currencies. Or methods of obfuscating loot box acquisition.

Regulating loot boxes is a decent first step, but it feels like putting up an umbrella against a tsunami given the gambling industry has an incredibly strong grip over our country.

We have incessant gambling ads on every form of media (especially bad are the "bet with mates" type ads that invoke peer pressure to gamble as a social activity), pokies in pretty much every pub that are much more harmful / less regulated than much of the rest of the world, and generally a very unhealthy relationship with gambling as a country.

This needs to be regulated. Kids are straight up gambling with loot boxes. So are we grown adults.