Warning! Poor Compliance with Loot Box Probability Disclosure and Warning Regulations in Taiwan

Loot boxes are in-game purchases wherein players spend real-world money to get randomised items. Policymakers are concerned about their connections with problem gambling and potential harms (e.g., overspending). In response, Taiwan now requires game companies to (i) disclose the percentage-based probabilities of obtaining each individual item for every loot box and (ii) also display a specific warning message informing players that they are not guaranteed to receive a specific prize from these randomized product. We assessed companies’ compliance with these regulations. Content analysis of the 100 highest-grossing iPhone games in Taiwan showed that loot boxes are prevalent (93%). However, only 24.7% of 93 games with loot boxes disclosed probabilities of every loot box in the required formats. Probabilities, even where provided, were also generally difficult to access: only 14.5% of games most frequently used a reasonably prominent disclosure method. Few games displayed the specified warning as required (19.4%). Companies’ compliance with regulations is poor, which might exacerbate financial harm and players’ problematic gaming and gambling behaviours. Stricter enforcement and officially translating the regulations into English can improve consumer protection.