UK Advertising Rules Broken by EA, Miniclip, and Jagex Over Loot Box Ads

The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK has issued warnings to Electronic Arts, Miniclip, and Jagex for violating advertising rules related to games with loot boxes. This decision comes after the ASA upheld complaints against three games: Golf Clash, 8 Ball Pool, and RuneScape. The complaints, submitted by a researcher specializing in game regulation, argued that the ads for these games were misleading because they did not disclose the presence of in-game purchases, including loot boxes with randomized items. The ASA, guided by the Committee of Advertising Practice, states that the presence of in-game purchases and randomized mechanics like loot boxes should be clearly indicated in advertisements. As a result, EA, Miniclip, and Jagex have been instructed to ensure that future ads for these games include disclosures about in-game purchases and loot boxes. Each case highlights a different aspect of the importance of transparency in advertising games with loot boxes. The complaint against EA involved two Facebook ads for Golf Clash, which did not include disclosures about in-game purchases. EA attributed the omission to human error and has since removed the ads and implemented measures to prevent similar mistakes. The ASA noted that while one ad mentioned a web store, it did not clarify the presence of loot boxes, and the other ad did not mention purchases at all. Miniclip's case concerned an ad for 8 Ball Pool that ended with 'Play free now' and did not disclose the presence of loot boxes. Miniclip argued that no material information was omitted because the game can be played without purchases. However, the ASA emphasized that the presence of in-game purchases, especially loot boxes, is material to a consumer's decision to download a game. The complaint against Jagex involved an ad for RuneScape that highlighted a new combat style but did not disclose in-game purchases or loot boxes. Jagex argued that the ad was about a specific skill, not the mini-game where loot boxes are found, and that disclosures were clear on the linked landing page. The ASA disagreed, stating that the ad itself must include information about in-game purchases and loot boxes to make consumers aware of their presence before making transactional decisions, such as clicking through to the game's website.