Australian MP introduces bill banning loot boxes for under-18s
Andrew Wilkie, the Independent Federal Member of Parliament for Clark, Tasmania, has introduced a pivotal amendment to Australia’s media classification bill aimed at tightening regulations around video game loot boxes, restricting access to individuals aged 18 and over.
Wilkie, a long-time advocate for reform, emphasizes the pressing need to address this contentious video game feature, labeling loot boxes as “an insidious gateway to gambling” that predominantly targets minors. He expressed concern that many parents remain unaware of loot boxes’ prevalence in popular games such as *Star Wars*, *Call of Duty*, *FIFA*, and *Mario Kart*. Recent research from the Australian Gaming Council revealed that a staggering 62% of Australia’s top-selling video games incorporate loot boxes, with all surveyed youth reporting prior exposure to such games.
“Alarmingly,” he noted, “young individuals who engage with loot boxes are statistically more likely to have participated in gambling activities within the past year.”
Overview of the Tabled Bill
The proposed bill, officially titled the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Loot Boxes) Act 2022, aims to ensure that any game featuring loot boxes is classified as R18+; if not, it would face a refusal of classification. This would effectively render such games inaccessible to anyone under 18 years of age.
Moreover, upon potential enactment, games containing loot boxes will be required to display prominent consumer warnings on their packaging, explicitly indicating this feature.
Wilkie criticized the gaming industry, stating, “These companies are exceptionally strategic, reaping billions of dollars at the expense of our children. We cannot permit this grooming for future gambling to continue. It is no surprise that nations worldwide are starting to recognize the urgency of regulation, with several countries already implementing outright bans on loot boxes.”
The issue, according to Wilkie, has spurred governmental interest for “many years,” and it is high time that decisive action is taken.
The topic of loot boxes has previously stirred controversy in Australian politics. In 2020, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs urged the national government to impose stringent restrictions on loot boxes to safeguard children and young adults from potential gambling-related harm.
Andrew Wilkie’s Stance on Gambling
Wilkie’s opposition to gambling has been a cornerstone of his political agenda. Following his tenure as an infantry officer, he became a vocal critic of poker machines during the 2010 federal election. In a strategic move, he later aligned with the Labour Party, negotiating his support in parliamentary votes for two pivotal commitments aimed at curbing poker machine operations.
These commitments demanded that poker machines be equipped with mandatory pre-commitment technology, requiring players to establish their loss limits before play. Additionally, it proposed a maximum wager of AU$1 per spin for machines lacking this technology. The governing Abbott Coalition government opposed these measures, and, following the Labour Party’s electoral success in the House of Representatives, these commitments were ultimately sidelined.
In summary, Andrew Wilkie’s continued efforts to regulate loot boxes reflect a growing acknowledgment within the gambling industry of the need for stringent measures to protect vulnerable populations, especially youth, from the risks associated with gambling behavior. As the landscape evolves, the gambling sector must adapt to these emerging regulatory frameworks and societal concerns.
