ベルギー当局,Star Wars Battlefrontのルートボックスの調査を続行

ハワイ州では同様に「スター・ウォーズをテーマにしたカジノ」に対する立法を考えている。

Update:外国語翻訳の関係で少し混乱があったかもしれない。すべてのメディアはVTM Newsのレポートを引用しているのだが,RTBF(※フランス語によるベルギーの国営放送局)はベルギー賭博委員会は,実際にはルートボックスが賭博だとは宣言していないと主張している。ベルギー賭博委員会はルートボックスを禁止したいというコメントをしたが,調査は現在も進行中である。我々は引き続き本件に注視し,新情報があり次第お伝えしたい。

(※本件は,2017年11月22日(英国時間)に発表された「ベルギーの賭博委員会が「Star Wars Battlefront II 」のルートボックスを賭博行為だと認定したというニュースのアップデートになります。アップデート前のニュースの翻訳は省略します)

発表時の原文:
The Belgian Gambling Commission has decided that loot boxes in Star Wars Battlefront II constitute gambling, and the practice should be banned.

Last week the gambling authority turned its eye towards the issue and since concluded that loot boxes present a danger to children.

VTM News reported that Belgian minister of justice Koen Geens said the gambling commission will take the matter to Europe.

The Dutch authorities joined the recent investigation too, and while a decision has yet to be reached, arriving at the same conclusion as Belgium doesn't seem unlikely.

Accompanying the news was an announcement that Hawaiian legislators are also considering action against loot boxes in games.

At a press conference, Hawaiian democratic state representative Chris Lee described Battlefront II as a "Star Wars-themed online casino," warning that it was a "trap" for children.

"We're looking at legislation this coming year which could prohibit access, or prohibit sale of these games to folks who are under age in order to protect families, as well as prohibiting different kinds of mechanisms within those games," he said.

"We've been talking with several other states as well, with legislators there who are looking at the same thing. I think this is the appropriate time to make sure that these issues are addressed before this becomes the new norm for every game."

At the same press conference, fellow representative Sean Quinlan draw comparison to '80s and '90s cigarette mascot Joe Camel.

"We didn't allow Joe Camel to encourage our kids to smoke cigarettes, and we shouldn't allow Star Wars to encourage our kids to gamble," he said.

Writing recently for GamesIndustry.biz, Rob Fahey warned against interference from legislators if publishers overstepped the mark with loot boxes.

"There's a real chance that companies involved in this are on the hook for permitting minors access to a gambling platform," he suggested.

"If the games business doesn't figure out where the sensible limits to this kind of business model lie, they risk a public outcry leading to regulators stepping in."

Avoiding a moral panic has never been a strength of games, but with politicians across the world diving into the fray, the industry could find itself facing another assault from the mainstream media and outside pundits.

※本記事はGamesIndustry.bizとのライセンス契約のもとで翻訳されています(元記事はこちら