A class action lawsuit has been filed against Valve, accusing the company of organizing an illegal gambling system through loot boxes in video games.
The lawsuit was filed on March 9 in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington. The document alleges that Valve knowingly operated an illegal gambling system, using random reward mechanics in games to obtain money from users.
The legal side of the plaintiffs is represented by the firm Hagens Berman. The founder and managing partner of the company, Steve Berman, said that Valve had built an entire system against ordinary people who are just trying to have fun. According to him, the lawyers intend to "hold Valve accountable and return money to consumers".
The lawsuit also alleges that loot boxes were specifically designed using psychological techniques to encourage players to spend more money. It is separately emphasized that such mechanics can also affect underage users.
At the same time, the authorities of the State of New York also filed their own lawsuit against Valve, related to practices that, in their opinion, turn the loot box system into a form of gambling.