A class-action lawsuit has been filed against publisher Take-Two Interactive over the sale of loot boxes in its NBA 2K games. As reported by Bloomberg, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of a minor and her guardian back in January at Winnebago County Circuit Court before moving to the Illinois Northern District Court in February.The case claims that the “defendant’s unfair, deceptive and unlawful practices, including illegal gambling practices, deceive, mislead and harm consumers.” The lawsuit also says that loot boxes “psychologically distance” players from real-life financial consequences of these purchases, especially in the case of minors who will often use a parent’s credit card to pay for these transactions. The plaintiff is seeking $5 million in damages. A Take-Two spokesperson declined to comment to Bloomberg.For years, the debate surrounding loot boxes in games such as NBA 2K, FIFA, and others has been raging. We’ve seen the controversial monetisation method banned in several countries across Europe and Asia due to them falling foul of gambling laws. NHS England’s national mental health director has also called for a ban on loot boxes, saying that video game developers and publishers are “setting kids up for addiction” by building loot boxes in their games. Research published last year from the University of Plymouth and University of Wolverhampton also claimed a link between loot boxes and gambling.
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