Thank you. If I could start the questioning, you may be aware that one of the issues we have been looking at as part of the inquiry is the role of loot boxes within free-to-play games and whether loot boxes could be considered to be a form of game of chance that could be equated to or compared to gambling. We are very interested in your position, as to whether you believe there could be grounds for redefining loot boxes as a form of gambling within games.
Neil McArthur: Thank you. Our position is loot boxes could be a form of gambling, but like so much, it depends on the exact circumstances in which they are offered. The Gambling Act tells us that gambling is either gaming, betting or lotteries and this is a form of gambling. Then the Gambling Act tells us that gambling means playing a game of chance for a prize. You can certainly see circumstances when a loot box might fall within that definition.
25-Aug-2019 19:47:13