EA's loot crate infringing upon gambling? Could future changes to gaming impact GSIV?

[Taernath]

For what? There weren't any loot boxes in Diablo 3.

It was part of a larger ban on digital item trades. You could buy/sell the items you found on D3's now-closed auction house or for cash.

[Tgo01]

There used to be a cash shop in Diablo 3 where you could sell your finds for cash.

But how is that considered gambling? Loot boxes I can MAYBE see an argument for since it's completely random what you buy, but with Diablo 3's cash auction house you know exactly what you're getting.

It was part of a larger ban on digital item trades.

Oh. South Korea sounds boring. So was Farmville outlawed there too?

[Gelston]

I don't think the government cares if it's physical or not. I'm pretty sure EA pays taxes on their profit from the sale of games whether or not the buyer receives anything physical. Why would it be any different if I score a great RNG win and sell it for cash to another player? If a game company is selling the opportunity to win, and the player is essentially pulling a slot machine lever in the hopes of winning something that has monetary value, what's the difference if it's physical or not physical?

Personal opinion: I think the RNG games within the games are a much worse form of gambling than online poker ever was, and the US government killed that off, even though it was generating taxes. Don't be too shocked when, after a series of teenage suicides blamed on RNG failure, some legislation is introduced to curtail gambling games within games. I think RNG games are fine if they are confined to the currency of the game, but once the spin can be paid for with cash and the prize has a pretty easily definable cash value, that's gambling. With big games doing it and greatly increasing their profits as a result, it will draw the attention of regulators.

Online gambling's legality depends on your state. It is very legal in some places. One of the issues with it, initially, was that the states weren't getting their taxes from it. It is starting to return.

[Taernath]

Oh. South Korea sounds boring. So was Farmville outlawed there too?

Yep! I bet GS would be banned over there too if they knew what it was.

[Gelston]

Yep! I bet GS would be banned over there too if they knew what it was.

Nah, they'd try to call GS an analog game.

[Archigeek]

Online gambling's legality depends on your state. It is very legal in some places. One of the issues with it, initially, was that the states weren't getting their taxes from it. It is starting to return.

All the pro's I knew were paying taxes. Me, the amateur, I don't recall if I paid taxes on my winnings. I was starting to get good when I decided that I didn't want to turn it into a job. I think it was all about money though... the money of big time casino owning donors.

[Gelston]

All the pro's I knew were paying taxes. Me, the amateur, I don't recall if I paid taxes on my winnings. I was starting to get good when I decided that I didn't want to turn it into a job. I think it was all about money though... the money of big time casino owning donors.

The big casino part is right about some things. There was a federal regulation that prevented betting on horse races online, specifically. The transmitting of the data across state lines via an online source was the illegality if I can recall correctly.

[Aluvius]

Yeah, you have to pay withholding on payouts from winnings in casino's. They get your information from you and file a W-2G for you. Its a complex ratio though and you can offset it with losses, etc.

[drauz]

All the pro's I knew were paying taxes. Me, the amateur, I don't recall if I paid taxes on my winnings. I was starting to get good when I decided that I didn't want to turn it into a job. I think it was all about money though... the money of big time casino owning donors.

They won't focus on small winnings and most people that don't have a gambling problem don't report losses or winnings but if you hit the jackpot on the slots or hit it big at craps or another table game the pit boss will make sure you do.

http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/22/news...oprah_car_tax/

[n0551n3n0m1n3]

As someone who has player other mmo's....this is common practice. RNG lockboxes/crates with items obtainable through grinding or buy a key with irl $$ and get them without grinding. If the RNG wasnt there...it couldnt be considered gambling, but then they would have to price the items accordingly, to still turn a profit on the game.