Canadian Court Dismisses Claim of Unlawful Gambling in EA Loot Box Case

A Canadian judge has ruled that a lawsuit alleging Electronic Arts' loot boxes constitute unlawful gaming is unlikely to succeed. However, the court will permit the class-action claim to move forward, focusing on the potential for deceptive acts or practices. The plaintiff, Mark Sutherland, had claimed that EA's sale of loot boxes in over 70 games since 2008 was a breach of British Columbia's consumer protection laws. The judge found that while Sutherland's allegations of deceptive practices may proceed, the claim of unlawful gaming does not have a reasonable prospect of success. The decision was based on the fact that loot boxes can only be exchanged for virtual currency within EA's own auctions and cannot be 'cashed out' for real money. EA has welcomed the ruling, stating that it reaffirms their position that their games do not constitute gambling.