“Video games popular among kids would be prohibited from offering ‘loot boxes’ or randomized assortments of digital weapons, clothing and other items that can be purchased for a fee, under federal legislation to be introduced by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.),” Tony Romm and Craig Timberg report for The Washington Post. “Hawley’s Protecting Children From Abusive Games Act takes aim at a growing industry revenue stream that analysts say could be worth more than $50 billion — but one that increasingly has triggered worldwide scrutiny out of fear it fosters addictive behaviors and entices kids to gamble.”
“Hawley’s proposed bill, outlined Wednesday, covers games explicitly targeted to players younger than 18 as well as those for broader audiences where developers are aware that kids are making in-game purchases,” Romm and Timberg report. “Along with outlawing loot boxes, these video games also would be banned from offering ‘pay to win’ schemes, where players must spend money to access additional content or gain digital advantages over rival players.”
“Offering one ‘notorious example,’ Hawley’s office pointed to Candy Crush, a popular, free smartphone puzzle app that allows users to spend $149.99 on a bundle of goods that include virtual currency and other items that make the game easier to play,” Romm and Timberg report. “Purchases made within games — often called ‘micropayments’ or ‘in-app purchases’ — have come under scrutiny in recent years, in part, because children often use their parents’ credit cards or other payment methods to rack up charges that can run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Parents have complained to the Federal Trade Commission that such charges often happen without their permission or end up being much larger than they expect.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Obviously, some sensible regulation is to be expected here as there are some egregious examples of games taking advantage of users’ ages to rack up In-App Purchases.
Can’t parents just turn off in-app purchases? Or require a password, at least?
Yes or Apple can just eliminate them, one up front price and that’s it.
In-app purchases. When IAPs typically cost so more than the initial app purchase price (if any), no way in heck is “micropayment” even remotely an appropriate term.
Regulation? The government is the solution? Are you kidding me? You’re starting to sound like liberals. Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
The GOP loves adding regulations as long as they’re controlling something they don’t like — be it legal abortion, minority voters, or true religious freedom.
Fundie Preachers have historically railed againt the evil of gambling which “pay to win is.”
Pay-to-win isn’t gambling. It’s investing in the game. If I spend money upgrading the brakes on my car so it’ll race better, I’m paying to win — but not gambling.
Loot boxes full of random stuff that can be helpful IS gambling because of the unknown outcome.