The Belgian ‘ban’ on
loot boxes did NOT work
82% of the 100 highest-grossing iPhone games on the BELGIAN Apple App Store still sold loot boxes for REAL-WORLD MONEY.
Cite as: Xiao, L.Y. (2023). Breaking Ban: Belgium’s Ineffective Gambling Law Regulation of Video Game Loot Boxes. Collabra: Psychology, 9(1), Article 57641. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.57641.
This study has now been peer-reviewed and recommended by Peer Community in Registered Reports: https://rr.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec?id=264
Policy Impact:
The Minister of Justice of Belgium, Vincent Van Quickenborne, has issued a statement in Dutch accepting the study’s results when asked to comment by the Belgian media in August 2022: https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20220812_97460883.
The Belgian Gaming Commission has accepted the findings and the law reform recommendations and has since published a notice on 14 September 2022 (in Flemish and French) stating that:
[After duly acknowledging that loot boxes are generally banned in Belgium under gambling law…]
“The Gaming Commission believes that a real debate should take place about loot boxes. It would be opportune to examine whether a good framework could allow operators to legally offer loot boxes and similar games in a reasonable and safe manner. It could be considered whether this system would not be more desirable for the protection of players than a general ban, which is difficult to enforce. An alternative to this general ban would be to allow some loot boxes, linked to a set of operating conditions.
…
The Gaming Commission therefore invites a broader reflection, including on the opportunity to clarify and/or adapt the existing legislation to take into account new phenomena that did not exist at the time the Gaming Act was enacted in 1999” (para 2.4.2.).
Referenced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport of the UK Government in the House of Lords to support its regulatory position (Hansard: HL Deb 13 Oct 2022, vol 824, col 890: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2022-10-13/debates/94A8D30A-F9C4-4DBC-89C2-F3CEB034CC93/LootBoxes).
Games Known to Have Taken Compliance Action Following My Study:
Roblox and games in its ecosystem, e.g., Adopt Me (Roblox Corporation and other companies, e.g., Uplift Games): 13 September 2022 (https://web.archive.org/web/20220914045747/https://help.playadopt.me/hc/en-us/articles/8805290891287; archived)
Empires & Puzzles (Small Giant Games, Zynga): 25 August 2022 (https://forum.smallgiantgames.com/t/cant-purchase-anything-anymore-because-im-in-the-region-belgium/277607/1; archived)
Media Reporting:
Reported on by more than 50 venues in some 16 different languages, as listed below:
Media Features
[In English 🇬🇧/🇺🇸] Rousseau, J. (2022, August 4). Study finds that Belgium's loot box ban isn't being enforced. GamesIndustry.biz. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/study-finds-that-belgiums-loot-box-ban-isnt-being-enforced
Benfell, G. (2022, August 5). New Study Finds Belgium's Loot Box Ban Is Barely Enforced. GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-study-finds-belgiums-loot-box-ban-is-barely-enforced/1100-6506203/
Carter, J. (2022, August 5). Researcher claims Belgium's loot box ban is "ineffective". Game Developer. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/researcher-claims-belgium-s-loot-box-ban-is-ineffective-
Shutler, A. (2022, August 5). Study claims country-wide loot box ban isn’t “practically achievable”. NME (New Musical Express). https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/study-claims-country-wide-loot-box-ban-isnt-practically-achievable-3284417
Allsop, K. (2022, August 5). Report says Belgium loot box laws have been ineffective. PCGamesN. https://www.pcgamesn.com/belgium-loot-box-laws-study
Allen, J. (2022, August 5). New Report Says Belgium's Loot Box Law Is Not Being Enforced. TechRaptor. https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/new-report-says-belgiums-loot-box-law-is-not-being-enforced
Bevan, R. (2022, August 5). Belgium's Loot Box Ban Has Been "Ineffective", Remains In 82 Percent Of Top Games. TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/loot-box-ban-belgium-study/
Nightingale, E. (2022, August 5). New study claims Belgium's loot box law isn't being enforced. Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/new-study-claims-belgiums-loot-box-law-isnt-being-enforced
Pavey, V. (2022, August 5). Belgium isn’t enforcing loot box ban, claims research study. MCV/Develop. https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/belgium-isnt-enforcing-loot-box-ban-claims-research-study/
Sarkar, A. (2022, August 6). Why loot boxes will always remain a problem in the video game industry. Sportskeeda. https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/why-loot-boxes-will-always-remain-problem-video-game-industry
Ferdinand, P.K. (2022, August 8). Loot Box Ban in Belgium Is Not Being Enforced, Says Study. Game Rant. https://gamerant.com/loot-box-ban-belgium-not-enforced-study/
Wright, J. (2022, August 8). Belgium is Failing to Uphold Loot Box Law Enforcement. Any Button Gaming. https://www.ab-gaming.com/belgium-is-failing-to-uphold-loot-box-law-enforcement/
bigbear51. (2022, August 8). Belgium lootbox laws have been ineffective, says new report. Niche Gamer. https://nichegamer.com/belgium-lootbox-laws-no-work/
Hegevall, P. (2022, August 8). Belgium's ban on loot boxes has proved to be pointless. Gamereactor.eu. https://www.gamereactor.eu/belgiums-ban-on-loot-boxes-has-proved-to-be-pointless-1152783/
Levine, G. (2022, August 9). Study Shows Belgium's Loot Boxes Ban Proved Ineffective. 80 Level. https://80.lv/articles/study-shows-belgium-s-loot-boxes-ban-proved-ineffective/
[in Dutch 🇳🇱/Flemish 🇧🇪] Ramboer, T. (2022, August 13). Ze zetten kinderen aan tot gokken, maar worden zomaar verkocht: 8 op 10 games verkopen nog steeds ‘lootboxes’ [They encourage children to gamble, but are sold just like that: 8 out of 10 games still sell 'loot boxes']. Nieuwsblad.be/Gazet van Antwerpen (GVA). https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20220812_97460883 & https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20220813_09388283
Spinner, Y. (2022, August 5). Belgisch verbod op lootboxes in games wordt mogelijk niet goed gehandhaafd [Belgian ban on loot boxes in games may not be properly enforced]. Tweakers/HLN (Het Laatste Nieuws). https://tweakers.net/nieuws/199664/belgisch-verbod-op-lootboxes-in-games-wordt-mogelijk-niet-goed-gehandhaafd.html & https://www.hln.be/binnenland/studie-belgisch-verbod-op-lootboxes-in-games-wordt-mogelijk-niet-goed-gehandhaafd~a63d9174/
Bellens, E. (2022, August 8). Belgisch verbod op lootboxes amper gehandhaafd / L'interdiction belge des 'lootboxes' à peine appliquée [Belgian ban on loot boxes barely enforced]. DataNews, Knack. Flemish: https://datanews.knack.be/ict/nieuws/belgisch-verbod-op-lootboxes-amper-gehandhaafd/article-news-1889595.html & French: https://datanews.levif.be/ict/actualite/l-interdiction-belge-des-lootboxes-a-peine-appliquee/article-news-1581817.html
Musters, M. (2022, August 9). Verbod op lootboxes in België wordt volgens onderzoek slecht gehandhaafd [Ban on loot boxes in Belgium is poorly enforced, according to research]. Gamer.nl. https://gamer.nl/artikelen/nieuws/verbod-op-lootboxes-in-belgie-wordt-volgens-onderzoek-slecht-gehandhaafd/
JAY (2022, August 8). "Belgische wetgeving rond lootboxen doet meer kwaad dan goed omdat ze niet gehandhaafd wordt" ["Belgian loot box legislation does more harm than good because it is not enforced"]. 4Gamers. https://www.4gamers.be/nieuws/79961/1/belgische-wetgeving-rond-lootboxen-doet-meer-kwaad-dan-goed-omdat-ze-niet-gehandhaafd-wordt
Musters, M. (2022, August 9). App Store in België zou ondanks verbod nog vol staan met games met lootboxes [Despite the ban, the App Store in Belgium would still be full of games with loot boxes]. Power Unlimited. https://pu.nl/artikelen/nieuws/app-store-in-belgie-zou-ondanks-verbod-nog-vol-staan-met-games-met-lootboxes/
[In French 🇫🇷/🇧🇪] Bellens, E. (2022, August 8). Belgisch verbod op lootboxes amper gehandhaafd / L'interdiction belge des 'lootboxes' à peine appliquée [Belgian ban on loot boxes barely enforced]. DataNews, Knack. Flemish: https://datanews.knack.be/ict/nieuws/belgisch-verbod-op-lootboxes-amper-gehandhaafd/article-news-1889595.html & French: https://datanews.levif.be/ict/actualite/l-interdiction-belge-des-lootboxes-a-peine-appliquee/article-news-1581817.html
Babineaux, M. (2022, August 7). Une nouvelle étude révèle que l’interdiction des boîtes à butin en Belgique est à peine appliquée [Belgium's loot box ban barely enforced, new study finds]. Tech Tribune France. https://fr.techtribune.net/jeux-videos/une-nouvelle-etude-revele-que-linterdiction-des-boites-a-butin-en-belgique-est-a-peine-appliquee/397115/
Nassim, P. (2022, August 9). Interdiction des loot boxes en Belgique, pas vraiment appliqué selon une étude… [Ban on loot boxes in Belgium, not really applied according to a study…]. La Crème Du Gaming. https://www.lacremedugaming.fr/actus/loot-boxes-interdiction-belgique-139123.html
Traverso, C. (2022, August 9). Addiction et « DarkPattern » dans les jeux vidéos : Les lois belges sur les lootbox semblent inefficaces, selon un nouveau rapport [Addiction and “DarkPattern” in video games: Belgian lootbox laws seem ineffective, according to a new report]. Miroir Mag. https://www.miroir-mag.fr/news-jv/addiction-et-darkpattern-dans-les-jeux-videos-les-lois-belges-sur-les-lootbox-semblent-inefficaces-selon-un-nouveau-rapport/
Alexis. (2022, August 13). FIFA 23 contiendra toujours des boîtes de butin [FIFA 23 will still contain loot boxes]. News for Gamer. https://www.newsforgamer.info/fifa-23-contiendra-toujours-des-boites-de-butin/
Jeu Légal Belgique. (2022, September 13). Nouvelle sanction de la législation belge à l’encontre des sites de jeux [New sanction of Belgian legislation against gaming sites]. Jeu Légal Belgique. http://www.jeu-legal-belgique.be/actu-casino-nouvelle-sanction-legislation-belge-encontre-des-sites-jeux.html
[In Danish 🇩🇰] Nielsen, C.J. (2022, July 28). Trods forbud: 82 af de 100 mest downloadede spil i Belgien bryder med gambling-lov [Despite the ban: 82 of the 100 most downloaded games in Belgium break the gambling law]. Version2.dk. https://www.version2.dk/artikel/trods-forbud-82-af-de-100-mest-downloadede-spil-i-belgien-bryder-med-gambling-lov
Groth-Andersen, M. (2022, August 8). Belgisk lov mod Loot Boxes betragtes som ineffektiv af analytikere [Belgian law against Loot Boxes is considered ineffective by analysts]. Gamereactor.dk/MSN. https://www.gamereactor.dk/nyheder/1093243/Belgisk+lov+mod+Loot+Boxes+betragtes+som+ineffektiv+af+analytikere/ & https://www.msn.com/da-dk/underholdning/spil/belgisk-lov-mod-loot-boxes-betragtes-som-ineffektiv-af-analytikere/ar-AA10qamd?li=BBr5CAg
[in Swedish 🇸🇪] Helenius, T. (2022, August 8). Studie - Belgiens hårda lagstiftning mot lootlådor är "ineffektiv" [Study - Belgium's tough anti-loot box laws "ineffective"]. FZ.se. https://www.fz.se/nyhet/291039-studie-belgiens-harda-lagstiftning-mot-lootlador-ar-ineffektiv
[in Simplified Chinese 🇨🇳] 爆裂真菌 [Explosive-Fungus]. (2022, August 5). 调查显示比利时游戏内购开箱禁令并未被严格执行 [Investigation shows that Belgian in-game purchase box opening ban is not strictly enforced]. 3DMGAME. https://www.3dmgame.com/news/202208/3848630.html
周一 [Zhou, Y.]. (2022, August 7). 空有规定！研究发现比利时游戏开箱禁令几乎没有执行 [Rules just for show! Belgian game unboxing ban is barely enforced, study finds]. 游侠网 [Ali213.net]. Page 1: https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081935/https://www.ali213.net/news/html/2022-8/696889.html & Page 2: https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081946/https://www.ali213.net/news/html/2022-8/696889_2.html
[in Thai 🇹🇭] Zreast. (2022, August 6). งานวิจัยระบุว่ากฎหมายในประเทศเบลเยียม ไม่สามารถแบนระบบ Loot Box ได้อย่างที่ควรจะเป็น [Research indicates that the law in Belgium Can't ban the loot box system as it should]. GamingDose. https://www.gamingdose.com/news/%e0%b8%87%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%88%e0%b8%b1%e0%b8%a2%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b0%e0%b8%9a%e0%b8%b8%e0%b8%a7%e0%b9%88%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%8e%e0%b8%ab%e0%b8%a1%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a2%e0%b9%83/
[in German 🇩🇪] Wagner, P. (2022, August 5). Belgiens Lootbox-Verbot wird von 82 Prozent der Unternehmen ignoriert [Belgium’s loot box ban is ignored by 82 percent of companies]. GamesMarkt, mediabiz.de. https://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/473942
[in Italian 🇮🇹] Marchetto, C. (2022, August 5). Loot Box in Belgio sono davvero vietate? Sembra che la legge non venga applicata [Are Loot Boxes in Belgium really banned? It seems that the law is not being applied]. Eurogamer.it. https://www.eurogamer.it/news-loot-box-belgio-legge-non-applicata
DiouriMed. (2022, August 8). Il divieto del bottino in Belgio è stato imposto "Inefficace"rimane nell’82% dei migliori giochi [Ban on loot in Belgium was imposed "Ineffective" remains in 82% of the best games]. Jugo Mobile. https://it.jugomobile.com/divieto-del-bottino-belgio-stato-imposto-inefficacerimane-nell82-dei-migliori/
[in Portuguese 🇵🇹] de Andrade, A.C. (2022, August 6). Novo estudo conclui que a proibição das caixas de saque da Bélgica é pouco aplicada [New study finds Belgium's loot box ban is poorly enforced]. Cibersistemas.pt. https://cibersistemas.pt/games/novo-estudo-conclui-que-a-proibicao-das-caixas-de-saque-da-belgica-e-pouco-aplicada/
Hegevall, P. (2022, August 8). A proibição da Bélgica de loot boxes provou ser inútil [Belgium's ban on loot boxes proved futile]. Gamereactor.pt. https://www.gamereactor.pt/noticias/670723/A+proibicao+da+Belgica+de+loot+boxes+provou+ser+inutil/
[in Spanish 🇪🇸] GlobalGaming.es. (2022, August 5). La prohibición de las cajas de botín en Bélgica ha sido «ineficaz» [The ban on loot boxes in Belgium has been "ineffective"]. GlobalGaming.es. https://globalgaming.es/noticias/la-prohibicion-de-las-cajas-de-botin-en-belgica-ha-sido-ineficaz/
Mira, A. (2022, August 7). Un estudio revela que muchos juegos de iOS en Bélgica utilizan cajas de botín cuando está prohibido [A study reveals that many iOS games in Belgium use loot boxes when it is prohibited]. 3DJuegos. https://www.3djuegos.com/noticias-ver/224104/un-estudio-revela-que-muchos-juegos-de-ios-en-belgica/
Hegevall, P. (2022, August 8). La medida de prohibición de loot boxes que no sirvió para nada [The loot box ban measure that did not help]. Gamereactor.es. https://www.gamereactor.es/la-medida-de-prohibicion-de-loot-boxes-que-no-sirvio-para-nada-870923/
[In Greek 🇬🇷] Αρχοντίδης, Γ. [Archontides, Y.]. (2022, August 7). Νέα έρευνα φανερώνει πως ο νόμος κατά των loot boxes στο Βέλγιο δεν εφαρμόζεται [New research reveals that the law against loot boxes in Belgium is not being enforced]. Enternity.gr. https://www.enternity.gr/Article/Games/News/nea-ereuna-faneronei-pos-o-nomos-kata-ton-loot-boxes-sto-belgio-den-efarmozetai/76046.html
Γρυπάρης, Μ. [Gryparis, M.]. (2022, August 6). Στο Βέλγιο η απαγόρευση των loot boxes δεν επιβάλλεται στο 82% των mobile games [In Belgium the ban on loot boxes is not enforced in 82% of mobile games]. GameWorld.gr. https://www.gameworld.gr/news/other-games/49383-belgium-loot-boxes-mobile-games
[in Hungarian 🇭🇺] GameStar Hungary. (2022, August 6). Hiába tiltották be Belgiumban a loot boxokat, szinte semmi sem változott [Although loot boxes were banned in Belgium, almost nothing changed]. GameStar.hu. https://www.gamestar.hu/uzlet/hiaba-tiltottak-be-belgiumban-a-loot-boxokat-szinte-sem-sem-valtozott-314720.html
Krisztián, I. (2022, August 6). Belgiumban továbbra is léteznek lootboxok [Lootboxes still exist in Belgium]. PC Guru. https://www.pcguru.hu/hirek/belgiumban-tovabbra-is-leteznek-lootboxok/73422
Sziky. (2022, August 7). HIÁBA A SZABÁLYOZÁS, UGYANÚGY GONDOT OKOZNAK A LOOT BOXOK [DESPITE THE REGULATION, LOOT BOXES ARE STILL A PROBLEM]. Esport1. https://esport1.hu/news/2022/08/07/gaming-hiaba-a-szabalyozas-belgiumban-ugyanugy-gondot-okoznak-a-loot-boxok-sziky
[in Polish 🇵🇱] Błażewicz, J. (2022, August 8). Lootboxy nie zniknęły z Belgii; to porażka nowych przepisów [Lootboxes have not disappeared from Belgium; it is a failure of the new rules]. Gry-Online. https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/lootboxy-nie-zniknely-z-belgii-to-porazka-nowych-przepisow/z422871
Francuz, B. (2022, August 9). Belgowie walczą z loot boxami, ale bezskutecznie – twórcy gier dalej robią swoje [The Belgians are fighting loot boxes, but to no avail - the game developers are still doing their job]. Android.com.pl. https://android.com.pl/rozrywka/504804-loot-boxy-w-belgii/
Wróbel, M. (2022, August 9). Belgia, mimo starań, dalej z lootboxami: "ich usunięcie zaszkodziłoby belgijskim graczom" [Belgium, despite efforts, continues with lootboxes: "removing them would harm Belgian players"]. PPE.pl. https://www.ppe.pl/news/303841/belgia-mimo-staran-dalej-z-lootboxami-ich-usuniecie-zaszkodziloby-belgijskim-graczom.html
Wawrzyniak, M. (2022, August 9). Lootboksy mają się świetnie w Belgii. Nowe przepisy nic nie dały [Lootboxes are great in Belgium. The new regulations did not help]. Gram.pl. https://www.gram.pl/news/lootboksy-maja-sie-swietnie-w-belgii-nowe-przepisy-nic-nie-daly-lootbox-mikrotransakcje-afera-kontrowersje
[in Czech 🇨🇿] Morávek, J. (2022, August 5). Zákaz Loot Boxů v Belgii úspěchy nepřinesl [Banning Loot Boxes in Belgium did not bring success]. GamePress.cz. https://gamepress.cz/zakaz-loot-boxu-v-belgii-uspechy-neprinesl/
[in Russian 🇷🇺] Воробьёв, Б. [Vorobyov, B.]. (2022, August 5). Исследование показало, что бельгийский запрет лутбоксов не работает [Study finds Belgian loot box ban doesn't work]. Ридус [Ridus]. https://www.ridus.ru/news/386299
Швец, А. [Shvets, A.]. (2022, August 5). Ученый назвал закон о запрете лутбоксов в Бельгии неэффективным [The scientist called the law to ban loot boxes in Belgium ineffective]. Mail.ru (VK). https://games.mail.ru/pc/news/2022-08-05/uchenyj-nazval-zakon-o-zaprete-lutboksov-v-belgii-neeffektivnym/
[in Vietnamese 🇻🇳] Đỗ, P. (2022, August 13). Loot box sẽ xuất hiện trở lại trên FIFA 23 [Loot boxes will reappear on FIFA 23]. Thanh Niên. https://thanhnien.vn/loot-box-se-xuat-hien-tro-lai-tren-fifa-23-post1487565.html