Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Dr James Close and Dr Joanne Lloyd Lifting the Lid on Loot-Boxes, published by GambleAware in April; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the use of loot boxes by children does not lead to future gambling addiction.

Ensuring that video games are enjoyed safely by players, including children and vulnerable people, is a priority for the Government. That is why the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport launched a call for evidence in September 2020 to examine concerns relating to loot boxes, including evidence of potential harms.

We continue to evaluate the full scope of the evidence gathered from over 30,000 responses received. Potential solutions and preferred actions, including considerations around regulatory proposals, will be set out in the Government’s response to the call for evidence. The response will be published in the coming months and we stand ready to take action should the findings from the call for evidence support taking further measures. Officials continue to monitor the emergence of new research around loot boxes, including reports published by organisations such as GambleAware as the Government response is developed.