Calls to classify video game “lootbox” as gambling snowball

The clamor to classify video game “lootboxes” as gambling continues to grow especially in the wake of the controversy hounding the latest video game Overwatch.

Slovenian video gamer Lovro Pirjevec has started a petition on Change.org in October urging U.S’ independent rating agency Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to once and for all consider loot boxes as gambling.

In a span of one-month, the petition has already garnered 45,724 from gamers who share his views that “lootbox” fit the definition of gambling.

“As per Google’s definition of a gamble: take risky action in the hope of a desired result. And Dictionary.com: to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance,” Pirjevec said in his online petition. “Lootboxes and crates in video games fit the description entirely, as everytime you open them, you gamble and take chances to win rare in-game content.”