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UKGC Report Reopens Loot Box Debate: Will Video Game Developers Have to Follow UK Online Casino Standards?
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The continued crossovers between video games and the casino industry have had some unintended consequences according to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Outlined in a recent report on children and gambling trends, the UKGC found that loot boxes could be harmful to minors. Although the latest study showed a decrease in gambling participation among 11-to-16-year-olds, the data suggests that the risks to children have increased. As per the findings, 31% of those surveyed have opened a loot box, while 3% say they’ve placed an in-game bet.
Are In-Game Add-Ons a Gamble?
For the government, the issue of loot boxes has been a talking point since 2017. Identifying an emerging trend among video game developers, Connor Rhys Deeley submitted an online petition to have loot boxes discussed in parliament. In writing his petition, Deeley argued that the in-game add-ons often contain prizes that are worth less than the purchase price. Citing a 2017 law passed in China, Deeley said that the boxes are, in essence, a form of gambling and should, therefore, be regulated by the UKGC.
Addressing the situation, then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Tracey Crouch pointed to the UKGC previous statement on loot boxes.
“Where items obtained in a computer game can be traded or exchanged outside the game platform, they acquire a monetary value, and where facilities for gambling with such items are offered to consumers located in Britain a Gambling Commission licence is required,” concluded the government and the UKGC.
UKGC Guidelines Don’t Apply
By stating loot box prizes don’t have any real world value, the conclusion was that they fall outside of the UKGC’s regulatory remit. As it stands, any operator wanting to offer betting services in the UK must abide by a strictest of guidelines. For example, 2005 regulations state that gaming companies don’t have to meet a statutory minimum payout percentage. However, they must clearly display the amount a player can, in theory, expect to win (known as the return to player/RTP). In essence, this rule is designed to give players the power to decide how much risk they want to expose themselves to.
In fact, this drive to give consumers more information has been a cornerstone of the UKGC’s policies over the last few years. Today UK casino and betting operators must provide clear and concise insights into every aspect of their product. From their payout structures and software suppliers to the terms and conditions attached to bonuses, everything has to be transparent and fair. Without meeting the expected standards, an operator risks receiving a fine or having their licence revoked. However, when it comes to video game companies, the same standards aren’t in place. For those entering the casino world, a UKGC licence is mark of quality, but no such label applies in the gaming sector.
Regulators Must Set the Standard
This disparity is something that campaigners have been pushing to address over the last 12 months. With loot boxes sharing similarities with casino games such as scratchcards or monetised versions of Deal or No Deal, many argue that UKGC standards should apply. In their defence, video game developers have said that loot boxes aren’t an integral part of a player’s experience.
“A player’s ability to succeed in the game is not dependent on purchasing crates. Players can also earn crates through playing the game and not spending any money at all,” a spokesperson for EA told Eurogamer.net.
However, the figures would seem to suggest otherwise. In addition to the UKGC’s report showing that 31% of child gamers have used loot boxes, estimates project that loot box revenue will hit £32 billion by 2022. Reviewing the current trend, analysts at Juniper Research found that more people are now taking part in so-called skin betting than ever before.
“These items have value depending on rarity and popularity within game communities. On PCs, skins are traded for real money via Steam’s Marketplace; the platform has 125 million registered users globally,” Lauren Foye of Juniper Research said in April 2018.
Licensed Loot Boxes May Happen in 2019
In light of the latest findings, the government is likely to face more tough questions regarding the regulation of loot boxes. In Belgium, ministers have already agreed that the boxes are a form of gambling. British politicians may soon take the same position. Indeed, with the protection of minors something the UKGC has been working hard on in recent times, the recent report will give those in power cause for concern. If that proves to be the case, we may see video game companies become subject to the same controls as UK online casino operators.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
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Crypto Sportsbook, Sportsbet.io’s player wins huge $3.2m jackpot from $5 spin
A lucky Sportsbet.io player is celebrating the win of a lifetime after turning a single 5 USDT spin into a 3.2 million USDT jackpot on a popular slot game.
The huge winner was playing Midnight Marauder Dream Drop with perfect timing, with their spin triggering Relax Gaming’s Dream Drop Mega Jackpot of more than $3 million in the USDT stablecoin currency.
Alex Haig, Director at Sportsbet.io, said: “Another day, another multi-million dollar jackpot dropping on Sportsbet.io. We’re quickly gaining a reputation for jackpot wins, and this latest player is truly living the dream by turning $5 into $3.2 million. With one of the best collections of premium games to choose from, it won’t be long before more life-changing jackpots are won on Sportsbet.io.”
It isn’t the first time Sportsbet.io players have landed multi-million dollar paydays on the site.
Earlier this year one sports bettor landed $3 million on an ambitious, seven-way multibet.
And at the end of last year, another player won the largest slots jackpot in history, turning a single $50 spin into an incredible $42 million prize with Games Global’s WowPot!™ progressive jackpot.
The post Crypto Sportsbook, Sportsbet.io’s player wins huge $3.2m jackpot from $5 spin appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Savvy Games Delegation Joins More Than 30,000 Fans for Tencent and Hero Esports’ Honor of Kings Grand Finals in Beijing
The inaugural King Pro League Grand Finals 2024, the biggest esports event in China, drew more than 30,000 fans to a sold-out Beijing Workers’ Stadium on Nov 16. A delegation from Savvy Games and the Esports World Cup Foundation also joined the iconic event hosted by Chinese tech giant Tencent and the largest esports company in Asia, Hero Esports (formerly known as VSPO).
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Vice Chairman of Savvy Games Group (Savvy); Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy; and Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, attended the tournament where two top Chinese esports teams competed for the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup and a record prize pool.
A total of 70 million rmb ($9.8 million) was awarded to the top 12 teams who advanced through the rounds of the six-week-long tournament. The final showdown was between Chengdu All Gamers and Chongqing Wolves, where Chengdu All Gamers emerged victorious in a best-of-seven series and took home 22 million rmb ($3.1 million) in prize money.
King Pro League, the premier esports league for Tencent’s hit game Honor of Kings, is the biggest esports league in Asia. Honor of Kings is the world’s most popular mobile game with more than 100 million daily players. Hero Esports has been the organizer of KPL tournaments since the league was first launched in 2016.
This year marks the inaugural KPL Grand Finals, which replaces the Honor of Kings International Championship for Chinese Honor of Kings competitors and features the top teams from across China, one of the biggest esports markets in the world with the most players. Events were held at arenas in Chengdu, Hangzhou and Changsha, with the Grand Finals event being held in Beijing.
The popularity of esports is growing rapidly around the world, encouraged by government support in a number of countries and new products and technology. According to a Frost & Sullivan Report, the market size of the esports gaming industry has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 15.2% from US$29.8 billion in 2017 to US$52.6 billion in 2021, and is expected to increase further at a CAGR of 12.1% from US$57.9 billion in 2022 to US$102.4 billion in 2027.
The report also shows that the number of gamers globally has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2.3 billion in 2017 to 3.1 billion in 2021, and is expected to further increase at a CAGR of 5.5% from 3.3 billion in 2022 to 4.3 billion in 2027.
Danny Tang, CEO and Co-Founder of Hero Esports, commented: “Hero Esports is proud to have been a part of the first King Pro League Grand Finals, which is an example of the high calibre esports tournaments that fans and players everywhere deserve. The strong enthusiasm we’ve seen for this event in its first year is a testament to the significant growth of interest in this sport and the support of our high-profile sponsors. The atmosphere in the arena was electric and we congratulate the Chengdu All Gamers in winning the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup.”
Hero Esports, formerly known as VSPO, is a leading player in the global esports industry, collaborating with major game developers and global brands and organizing tournaments for players and fans across the world. It is the biggest esports tournament operator in Asia, having hosted 86 tournaments in the region in 2023, of which 62 were in China, compared with a total of 77 tournaments in 2020, of which three were overseas. The company recently announced the Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s new premier international esports tournament featuring multiple titles.
Sponsors of the King Pro League Grand Finals 2024 include Meituan, Snapdragon and SAIC Volkswagen and iQOO.
The post Savvy Games Delegation Joins More Than 30,000 Fans for Tencent and Hero Esports’ Honor of Kings Grand Finals in Beijing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The post Casino Guru Awards introduces “iGaming Changemaker of the Year” category appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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