The UK's Digital Minister has argued that loot boxes are not a form of gambling. Furthermore, she believes they should not be covered by gambling law.

The loot box issue in gaming is one that will not go away, and arguably so. Companies and various governments around the world are currently debating how to handle the issue, and some have even chosen to ban loot boxes entirely. Earlier this year, loot boxes were officially declared as an illegal form of gambling in Belgium.

The issue has now reached the shores of the United Kingdom and is being fiercely debated. The latest person to have their say on the matter is Margot James, the UK's Minister for Digital and Creative Industries. As reported by Game Rant, James doesn't believe that buying loot boxes is a form of gambling, and should therefore not fall under the UK's gambling laws.

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via Esport Bet

James made her argument in front of Parliament’s Commons committee. She said that she believes the decision made by Belgium to ban loot boxes is due to how the country has applied its offline gambling laws for online gaming use. However, despite not believing that loot boxes constitute gambling, James admitted it could be a gateway to gambling, which is a slightly confusing contradiction.

"Loot boxes could bring that out, could potentially illicit from them a greater enthusiasm for using loot boxes," James explained. Despite that belief, it seems as if James stands firmly on the side of the argument that doesn't see good enough reason to include loot boxes as a part of the UK's gambling laws. Companies that frequently implement loot boxes may find that argument appealing and take respite in it for now, but the battle is far from over.

Changing British gambling laws to encompass loot boxes doesn't sound as straightforward as it seems to have been in Belgium. It would require a complete rehaul of how everything is defined and worded. As of right now, it still seems as if this argument could go either way. In the meantime, at least, loot boxes are still available in the UK, and it doesn't seem as if that will be changing any time soon.

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