New York Attorney General Sues Valve, Alleging Its Loot Boxes Illegally Promote Gambling

The New York Attorney General, Letitia James, has filed a lawsuit against Valve, alleging that the company's loot boxes in its popular game, Steam, illegally promote gambling to children.

The lawsuit claims that Valve's loot boxes, which offer players random rewards, are a form of gambling that can lead to addiction and financial harm to minors. The attorney general's office argues that Valve has failed to take adequate steps to protect children from the potential risks of loot boxes.

The lawsuit seeks to stop Valve from continuing to sell loot boxes in its games and to require the company to implement measures to prevent minors from accessing them.

This is not the first time that Valve has faced criticism over its loot boxes. In 2020, the company was fined $5 million by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for allegedly deceiving consumers about the odds of winning loot box rewards.

The lawsuit against Valve is part of a broader effort by the New York Attorney General's office to crack down on the use of loot boxes in video games. In 2020, the office launched an investigation into the use of loot boxes in several popular games, including Fortnite and Apex Legends.

The investigation found that many of the games were using loot boxes in a way that was deceptive and unfair to consumers. The office has since taken action against several game developers and publishers, including a $10 million settlement with the company behind the game, Star Wars Battlefront II.

The lawsuit against Valve is a significant development in the ongoing debate over the use of loot boxes in video games. It remains to be seen how the case will play out, but it is clear that the issue is not going away anytime soon.

Sources

[9] New York Attorney General Sues Valve, Alleging Its Loot Boxes Illegally Promote Gambling