Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has recently signed a ban on loot boxes for gamers under 18 years old. This ban could affect popular live service games such as Overwatch 2, League of Legends, and Genshin Impact, and is part of a wider global movement of going against loot boxes, especially when aimed at minors.
The debate around loot boxes has been going strong for years. As some examples, loot boxes were declared illegal in Belgium in 2018, and some political parties in the Netherlands backed a loot box ban in 2022, which failed to happen. In 2023, the European Union vowed to deal with loot boxes and gaming addiction.
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Brazil Bans Loot Boxes Aimed at Minors
As spotted by Eurogamer, the loot box ban in Brazil comes as part of a wider digital protection law passed a few weeks ago, which was aimed at protecting children against abuse and exploitation in online environments. Chapter 7 of the law explicitly prohibits loot boxes from being offered to children and teenagers. The same chapter also requires games that are likely to have teens interacting with others via text, audio, or video to impose legal safeguards, including a report system and instruments to make the conversations safer. After being signed by President Lula, the law will go into effect in March 2026, giving companies some time to adjust.
The discussion regarding banning loot boxes in Brazil has been happening for a while. Back in 2021, for example, Brazil considered a ban on loot boxes, which would come with a hefty fine for not complying. Gambling is illegal in Brazil, and loot boxes have often been compared to it, so the practice has been in the sights of different Brazilian governments for a while.
A survey from 2020 indicates that 74% of gamers feel that loot boxes are gambling, so it’s not entirely surprising to see the comparison. A study from 2021 corroborates this vision, indicating that games make use of psychological methods to push loot box purchases.
While loot boxes remain controversial, this has not stopped companies from keeping them. Earlier this year, Overwatch 2 brought back loot boxes. According to the development team, they felt that the game “was not rewarding enough,” especially to free-to-play players, so they decided to bring the feature back. It remains to be seen how games such as this one will deal with the loot box ban for minors in Brazil.