Gambling Commission Consulting on Restricting Loot Boxes Amid Growing Concern

15 September 2026

The Gambling Commission has launched a public consultation on restricting loot boxes, the controversial video game monetization system that critics argue preys on children and promotes gambling-like behavior. The consultation, which opens to input from consumers, operators, and the public, will run until 25 September 2026, seeking views on potential changes to Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) and associated gambling-blocking software.

The Gambling Commission's move comes as officials weigh the results of a 2022 government call for evidence into loot boxes, which received 32,000 responses from players and parents and 50 submissions from industry, academics, and advocacy groups. The call for evidence, announced in 2020, sought information on loot boxes' prevalence, potential harms, and the effectiveness of existing measures to protect players.

While the government's formal response did not find conclusive evidence of a direct link between loot boxes and problem gambling, it acknowledged an association between exposure to loot boxes and "gambling-related" harm, citing 15 empirical studies pointing to a "stable and consistent" association. Specifically, the government noted one survey of 16 to 18-year-olds that found a link between spending on loot boxes and problem gambling.

The Government Response

In its 2022 response, the government favored enhanced voluntary industry standards over new consumer protections. Under-18s would not be able to buy loot boxes without parental approval, and spending controls and transparent information would be required for all players, including the probability and odds of winning certain items. However, the government refrained from amending the Gambling Act or other legislative measures at the time, opting to work with stakeholders through a new technical group and research framework.

"The current regulatory framework is not yet sufficient to ensure that children and other vulnerable players are protected from the risks of loot boxes," the government response acknowledged. "But we believe the pace of industry development is rapid, and the right approach is to invest in gathering evidence, holding industry to account, and making enhancements through enforcement, codes of conduct, and self-regulatory measures."

ABSG Cautions on Loot Boxes

The Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG) advised in 2021 that children and young people in particular may be susceptible to loot box gambling-like harm, noting that "exposure to loot boxes is associated with problem gambling behaviors" - but the Gambling Commission currently takes the view that they remain legal for minors in the UK. Around one in five young people aged 11-16 in England and Scotland have used loot boxes, according to a 2021 Gambling Commission-commissioned survey.

As of 2026, the Gambling Commission continues to accept that under-18s can legally use loot boxes, despite ABSG concerns over their gambling-like properties. A report on the "lived experiences of gambling in teenage boys and young men" noted that "gaming can be a potential entry point to gambling for some" as loot boxes familiarize young players with the concept of paying for uncertain outcomes.

Implications and Next Steps

The outcome of the current consultation will likely shape the contours of loot box policy in the UK for some time. If adopted, the government's recommendations on parental controls, spending limits, and transparency would represent a significant shift in the way loot boxes are currently regulated in the UK, which is widely seen as lagging behind some other jurisdictions.

However, the government has yet to find a causal link between loot boxes and problem gambling, and may yet change course if further research identifies a stronger relationship. The Vision Foundation study the government cites is also rapidly aging, with developments in loot box monetization since 2020 likely shifting the risk landscape in neither direction definitively.

For now, the Gambling Commission anticipates that the current consultation, which will close 25 September 2026, will inform its regulatory approach to loot boxes in the time ahead.