The authorities of the State of New York have filed a lawsuit against Valve, accusing it of organizing illegal gambling through the loot box system in the Steam service.
The lawsuit was initiated by State Attorney General Letitia James. The complaint alleges that the loot box mechanics in games such as Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 actually encourage gambling behavior. According to the prosecutor's office, users pay money for a chance to get rare virtual items, which is compared to the operation of a slot machine. At the same time, gambling is prohibited in the State of New York, with the exception of strictly stipulated cases.
Illegal gambling can cause serious harm and lead to severe addiction, especially among young people. Valve has made billions of dollars by allowing children and adults to illegally participate in gambling for a chance to win valuable virtual prizes. These mechanics are addictive, harmful and violate the law. My office is filing a lawsuit to stop Valve's illegal activities and protect the residents of New York
The document emphasizes that loot boxes can become a «slippery slope» to the formation of problematic behavior in minors. The lawsuit mentions numerous cases when children, some of whom were only 11 years old, used their parents' bank cards to purchase microtransactions and participate in the random rewards system.