Brazil is so unhappy about the presence of loot boxes in video games that it’s considering imposing major fines on any developer who dares to put these randomized, consumable virtual items in their games. The proposed legislation stems from the country’s National Association of Child and Adolescent Defense Centers (ANCED), which argued that the mechanics behind loot boxes are most certainly a form of gambling. Gambling is illegal throughout Brazil, hence the proposal for potential fines as high as BRL $4 million (around $706,000) daily.
Companies selling loot boxes could be facing a daily fine of up to $700,000https://t.co/Dz0q1V8H4X
— GamesIndustry (@GIBiz) April 6, 2021
The inquiry targets companies that sell loot boxes, including Activision, EA, Konami, Nintendo, Riot Games, Ubisoft, Tencent, and Valve. Mobile games publisher Garena is also involved, with Brazilian publication The Enemy reporting that the firm has been asked to suspend its loot box sales until further notice.
Sources: GamesIndustry.biz, The Gamer, The Enemy