The European Commission has formally presented a Digital Fairness Act draft that would prohibit paid loot boxes for under-18s, according to GamesIndustry.biz. The draft is not adopted law. Source
Paid loot boxes and virtual currencies get different rules
The proposed prohibition covers paid randomized reward systems, not every random reward in a game. Where paid loot boxes remain available to adults, companies would have to disclose the available item types and the probability of obtaining them, and provide effective tools to disable the systems entirely. The prize could remain a surprise; the odds wouldn’t get the same privilege. Source
The draft would also require companies to display the real-money value of paid-for virtual currencies, GamesIndustry.biz reports. The shop could keep its gems, but the price tag would need to speak actual money. Source
For products directed at minors, paid-for virtual currencies would also have to be disabled by default, with parental or guardian approval required to activate them. That permission route applies to the virtual-currency provision, not to the proposed prohibition on paid loot boxes for minors. GamesIndustry.biz cautions that it remains unclear whether disabling virtual currencies would cover purchases alone or their in-game functionality too. Source
Login streaks would need an off switch
According to the report, companies would have to let consumers disable features that encourage compulsive or excessive use. The covered features include login rewards and engagement streaks, automatic content playback, and push notifications not directly triggered by user activity. A streak could still exist without getting permanent custody of your schedule. Source
Free trials could convert into paid contracts only with the consumer’s express agreement. Companies offering online contracts would also need online termination and withdrawal functions, which GamesIndustry.biz describes as making cancellation as easy as signing up. A cancellation button shouldn’t require a walkthrough. Source
Pay-to-win rules in mixed-age games
The report also describes a proposed prohibition for minors on purchases necessary, or presented as necessary, for in-game progress or success. It says the interpretation and legal consequences remain unsettled, including whether adults could still buy competitive advantages and, if so, what that would mean in games also played by children. Source
GamesIndustry.biz describes the draft as an EU regulation that would apply directly across member states, with fines of up to 6% of worldwide annual turnover. Under the draft, the rules would apply 12 months after entry into force. Source
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