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EA under Criminal Investigation by Belgium Government over Illegal FIFA Lootboxes
- Thread starter lashman
- Start date
- Status
The only thing that will happen is that EA will stop selling their lootbox games in Belgium. Unless all of the European countries do the same thing, they can easily miss the sales generated by Belgium. They need to step up their game and have all countries follow the same law.
how is the headline wrong?
they are under a legal investigation that will determine whether they are breaking the law or not
I always find it sad when legal restrictions have to be created in order to prevent the problems of a market, but it just had to be done. EA is too big and too unstoppable with these consumer-unfriendly practices otherwise and definitely one of the most aggressive companies with it.
How is it pre-judging if it is based on facts? They are under criminal investigation - fact.
Seems worthwhile to settle this in a court of law; other governments will definitely take note if the prosecution is successful. Might also be an opportunity to get some of the scientific arguments against loot boxes (fostering addictive-compulsive behaviour in consumers) into the public record.
It would be a pretty big bullshit if someone could just say: "I don't think the law works this way", and then proceed to operate regardless of regulations. Instead, the procedure is complying with the law (even if you believe that you are right) until you prove that it doesn't apply to you.
The law was specifically designed to target lootboxes and random-distribution rewards which players could purchase with the real money. (doesn't apply to earned in-game rewards).
And they are. That is what they decided.
"After the Belgium Gaming Commission ruled that lootboxes present in FIFA 18, Overwatch, and CS: Global Offensive were in violation with the Belgian Gambling Laws, the Commission threatened with huge fines and imprisonment if a publisher failed to comply with the country's gambling laws. Publishers of the games in question were given 8 weeks to implement changes before enforcement actions would be taken."
ok, maybe that word should be removed then (or "potentially" inserted in front of it)
Wilson's lootboxes are worth 1 cool billion a year, of course they are going to fight. I hope they lose. EA just making one mistake after another.
Well, lootboxes are illegal in Belgium. Not anything wrong about it.
Also, just because EA is fighting this, doesn't mean that they are in the right. People will often fight unwinnable cases, especially here in Europe were lawyer and court costs are basically nothing, compared to what you would pay in the US for example.
Lol I saw in yesterdays Jimquisition that EA said "fuck you Belgium" and was keeping lootboxes in FIFA.
Glad to see they are under criminal investigation at least.
Glad to see they are under criminal investigation at least.
Nice. They pushed so much for these greedy and predatory practises that they gonna be the ones responsible for them being gone.
The irony.
The irony.
EA has literally built their business around loot boxes in recent years.
Loot boxes represent survival to them at this point.
The gaming commission thinks they're illegal, EA disagrees.
Just because the gaming commission is fighting this, doesn't mean they're right either
EA would sold their souls for money, what a garbage company, hope other countries will follow as quick as possible.
Was it really necessary for EA to flaunt Belgian laws just so it could cash-in from the hype of Belgium's WC 3rd place finish with FIFA's lootboxes? They would make a mint out of the base game in Belgium regardless, why do they have to complicate things for themselves . . . . and to other publishers as well.
This challenge might very well set a precedent and would have a domino effect of stifling lootboxes for everybody . . . . fuckin' EA.
The day it closes it will be a good day for gaming. Also hope the good employers there find jobs at decent companies.
But this is in fact exactly how commercial and corporate laws work in every country and with most big businesses. Maybe you never realized this because you never had an interest in how corporations operate until it was related to gaming somehow?
From taxes, to employment, to regulation, most companies are entirely interested in making the most money first and foremost with little regard to how you think a law should work. They pay lawyers lots of money to identify every loophole they can exploit to avoid fines, and will fight disagreements before conforming. That's how the world is and no one really cares!
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