EA hit with €5m Dutch fine over FIFA loot box feature
Dutch Gambling Authority secures backing of District Court of The Hague to sanction gaming publisher
A Netherlands court has ruled the loot box feature in the popular FIFA video game series is a direct violation of the country’s Betting and Gaming Act.
The decision from the District Court of The Hague related to an ongoing case between the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) and Electronic Arts (EA), the publishers of the FIFA franchise.
Loot boxes in FIFA appear on the title’s Ultimate Team mode, where players purchase packs of randomly generated real-life players for money to build their teams.
The KSA has imposed a penalty of up to €5m on both EA and its payments management subsidiary Electronic Arts Swiss Sàrl for violating the Dutch Gambling Act.
Under Dutch law, a game of chance that allows a prize to be won can only remain on the market if a relevant licence has been granted.
The court also stated the FIFA series should be discontinued in the Netherlands as a result of its violation.
In a statement, the KSA said it was of paramount importance to make the distinction between games and games of chance to protect consumers and adhere to law.
The statement read: “The KSA feels that a strict distinction must be made between games and games of chance. Games of chance are high-risk products, and offering them without a licence is prohibited.
“The KSA is alarmed that more and more games are appearing with elements of gambling, not least because gamers tend to be young and particularly susceptible to developing a gambling addiction,” the statement continued.