New York sues Valve, alleging its loot boxes are ‘quintessential gambling’
The Verge • • business
Key Points:
- New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing Valve for allegedly promoting illegal gambling through loot box systems in games like Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2.
- The lawsuit aims to permanently stop Valve from promoting gambling features, recover ill-gotten gains, and impose fines for violating New York laws.
- The complaint argues that Valve’s loot boxes constitute gambling by charging users for a chance to win valuable virtual items based on luck, which is prohibited under New York’s Constitution and Penal Law.
- Valve reportedly earned tens of millions from selling loot box keys to New York residents and millions more from commissions on virtual item sales, with the system being especially harmful due to its popularity among children and adolescents.
