Joining the Netherlands and Belgium, Finland has opened its own investigation into the legality of loot boxes. Are they illegal? Are they lovely? Finland will find out!
As EA continues to defy Belgium over FIFA, and Overwatch, NBA 2K19, etc. find themselves subject to scrutiny, the fight over monetization is starting to heat up. And of course, CS:GO has a big role to play too.
Source
Rough translation:
FINLAND POLICE HAVE STARTED THE INVESTIGATION OF LOOT BOXES LEGALITY
A police inquiry was recently lodged with the police of the southwest Finland, targeting loot boxes. The case is yet only in preliminary investigation and the police still refuse to state the name of the game in question.
Earlier in August 2018 Finland Lottery Authority issued an opinion in which it talks about the position of the loot boxes for the first time for its legal status and seeks that loot boxes belong to Finland lottery law.
According to Finland Lottery Authority statement, the lottery authority considers that "certain features of a video game containing loot boxes seem to meet the lottery definition" and Valves CS:GO is mentioned in the statement.
Lotteries are seeking unlawful in Finland if it meets ALL these four conditions:
Loot boxes can be bought fully or partly with real money.
The player does not know whats inside the box.
Loot Boxes may be exchanged for cash either by the publisher of a video game on their own or on third-party trading venues.
A video game publisher or other operator doesnt have licence for running a lottery (which can be only acquired in Finland by RAY and charity lotteries).
According to the Finland Lottery Authority, video game loot boxes dont need to be denied, but the features that are fulfilling the lottery law must be tackled.
"This is a general discussion of loot boxes and lottery law, as well as what elements should be in the loot box to make it a problem," says Senior Inspector Mikko Cantell of the Police Department.
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