This week's gambling review: Germany's push to regulate loot boxes, a multi-million fine for Norsk Tipping, the WHO's Gaming Disorder debate & Pitch iGB's winner.

Loot boxes in video games are under fresh scrutiny in Germany: Saarland and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have launched a Bundesrat motion to push for stricter national regulation, including age checks, transparency rules, and potential licensing requirements.

Loot boxes are under global scrutiny. While countries like Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands and Japan already have rules in place, Germany is still debating regulation.

Germany is taking a closer look at loot boxes: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has launched a Bundesrat initiative to strengthen youth and player protection. Transparency, warning labels and stricter age ratings are at the heart of the proposal.

A new report from the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) has exposed a disturbing trend: a strong correlation between early exposure to loot boxes and skin gambling in video games and the development of risky gambling behaviours in young adults.

Bonn (SR) - The debate over the regulation of loot boxes continues to rage in several parts of Europe. Approaches to solving the problem in the political arena differ considerably.

Bonn/Berlin - One day after Gamescom, the world's biggest gaming fair, legal experts met on 28 August 2023 at the online event hosted by "gluecksspielwesen.de"...

Loot boxes (this means virtual boxes) are like virtual items popular within online games. The background to the additional purchase of virtual items is the desire of many players to acquire equipment or skills and save time with it.