Just as the growth of fantasy sports, sweepstakes and online
poker were curtailed by the reach of gambling laws, the latest
trends in the $138 billion video gaming industry are attracting an
increasing level of unsolicited attention from gambling regulators
across the globe. Much of this attention is focused on "loot
boxes".
As reported by the New Yorker,
"A loot box is like an in-game lottery ticket: for a small
fee, involving real money, a player can purchase an assortment of
items that promise to enhance the game experience."
For example, one popular game gives its 40 million players two
options for obtaining a loot box of game enhancements, such as a
new "Skin" or "Victory Pose". First, players
can obtain a loot box at no cost by reaching the next game level.
Alternatively, at any point, players can purchase a loot box for
about a dollar. In one version of this game, the possibility of a
loot box containing the most desired enhancements is only
