In-game Purchases: Protections for Children

Lord Addington Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I have not referred to them as gambling lite. The law is clear that loot boxes are not currently legally considered gambling, for the reasons that the noble Baroness outlined. The grey market is not a legal market, and the Gambling Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority, where appropriate, take action on illegal gambling in whatever form it takes.

[Lord Addington (LD)]

My Lords, we have talked about this quite often before. The fact of the matter is that, even if loot boxes are not to the technical definition of gambling, they are close enough. The Government sound as if they are hiding behind pedantry here. Can we take some action that stops this compulsive behaviour being pushed on to children?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

This is about making sure that children are safe. The Government are committed to ensuring that games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone, including children. The Government maintain the view that loot boxes should not be purchased by children, unless enabled by a parent or guardian, and that is our clear position. All players should have access to spending controls and transparent information. This is why we have funded detailed academic research into the implementation of loot box guidance, which, as I mentioned earlier, will be published in the near future.