View source for News/Sales of Loot Boxes Banned in Brazil

{{News
|seo_title=Sales of Loot Boxes Banned in Brazil
|seo_keywords=Loot Boxes
|image=Lootboxes.jpg
|tags=Brazil
|date=2025-09-29T15:17:49.000Z
|sources={{NewsSource
|source=Games Industry
|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/brazil-bans-the-sale-of-loot-boxes-to-minors
|article=News/Sales of Loot Boxes Banned in Brazil
}}
|author=Andura
|category=Drama
|content=Brazil has introduced a significant change to its digital environment regulations with the signing of the ECA Digital law by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. This new legislation, aimed at improving the protection of children and adolescents in online spaces, includes provisions that will make the sale of loot boxes to players under 18 years old illegal.

The ECA Digital law, which was signed earlier this month, marks Brazil’s first comprehensive effort to safeguard young people in digital environments. Specifically, Article 20 of the law, found in the section dealing with "electronic games," prohibits the offering of loot boxes in games targeted at or likely to be accessible by minors. This law will come into effect in March 2026, giving game companies a three-year window to adjust their operations accordingly.

The term "loot box" is officially defined by the law as a feature in certain video games where players can spend money to receive consumable virtual items or random advantages. The catch: players don’t know exactly what they will receive, nor is there any guarantee the items will be useful in the game. In simpler terms, loot boxes essentially work as a form of gambling with uncertain rewards.

The law not only bans loot boxes in games specifically targeted at children but also extends its reach to any game that could potentially be accessed by them. According to the law, several factors will determine whether a game qualifies, including the likelihood that the product will attract minors, the ease with which they can access it, and the risks it poses to their privacy, security, and overall development.

Brazil’s government highlighted that games offering loot boxes that encourage social interaction or large-scale information sharing between users, especially when minors are involved, could present a particular risk. These elements have been cited as potentially dangerous to a child’s or adolescent’s biopsychosocial development.

This move follows increasing global scrutiny over the practice of loot boxes, which many have criticized as a form of gambling that exploits young players. With this legislation, Brazil becomes one of the first countries to take such a strong stance on regulating digital gaming practices to protect young users.
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