European regulators move to restrict loot boxes in video games for minors

European regulators moved to restrict loot boxes in video games throughout late 2025 and into 2026. Loot boxes are digital rewards that players buy with real money but cannot choose in advance, making them similar to gambling.

Poland proposed a law in December 2025 that would treat paid loot boxes as gambling, requiring companies to hold permits and prohibiting sales to anyone under 18. Separately, the European Parliament called for a wider ban on loot boxes in games that children can access. A pan-European ratings body also began marking such games as unsuitable for under-16s from June 2026.

Brazil has already introduced a similar ban. Game companies argue that restrictions will force them to find new ways to earn money. Loot boxes brought in around $23 billion worldwide last year.