Valve Ordered to Pay $15,000 for Loot Boxes by Australian Court

An Australian court has mandated that a video game publisher and developer, Valve, reimburse a gamer $15,000 for loot boxes. The court acknowledged them as a form of gambling, establishing a legal precedent that may influence other courts in similar cases.

The plaintiff expended the entire amount on in-game purchases within Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a game owned and published by Valve. The gamer's legal representation argued that loot boxes constitute a type of gambling, alleging that Valve violated Australian gambling laws, which dictate that such activities must be regulated by the government. Valve has been cautious in addressing court requirements, particularly concerning loot boxes. In 2016, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Valve, accusing the company of promoting gambling among children.

A loot box, case, or "container" is a virtual item in computer games that, when used, provides the gamer with random items of varying value. These acquired cases can subsequently be sold for real money.