Sony ordered to refund players' money for FIFA FUT after Austrian court ruled that loot boxes were illegal

Controversy continues to rage in the world of gaming around the issue of loot boxes and their connection to gambling. Recently, a court in Austria issued a ruling that seriously repercussions Sony and their FIFA game. The decision questioned the legality of selling FIFA Ultimate Team game packs as a form of gambling and required Sony to refund money to many players.

Details of the case

The court in Hermagoras ruled that FUT soccer game packages, where players can purchase virtual items, violate the country's gambling laws. Lawyer Ulrich Salburg said that the plaintiffs, including a minor, lost a significant amount of money on purchasing in-game reward boxes because their value is uncertain and depends on luck, which violates Austria's gambling law. Young people could just as easily get no deposit free spins at www.topcadcasinos.net, start playing casino games for free and then spend huge sums on slots. This is exactly what gameplay looks like in FIFA FUT.The court found the controversial loot bags in violation of the law and classified it as "illegal gambling". This decision plays an important role in the gaming industry as it raises the question of what game elements can be considered gambling.The decision made against Sony in the FIFA player refund case turned out to be final. This means that the company is obligated to refund the players who were affected by the situation. While Sony is not the developer of the FIFA game, it is responsible for transactions made on its PlayStation Store.GamesMarkt has set the amount Sony must pay to the plaintiff at €336.26, which is equivalent to approximately £290. While this amount may seem insignificant for a company as large as Sony, it's just the tip of the iceberg. According to the data, several hundred other potential plaintiffs have approached Austrian law firm Padronus with similar claims against Sony.

The study found inconsistent information regarding loot boxes

The study found that warnings about the presence of loot boxes in games needed to be more consistent and reliable. PEGI and ESRB, the organizations responsible for giving age ratings to games, did not always accurately indicate the presence of loot boxes in the game. It was also revealed that the age ratings on the Google Play Store set by IARC did not always match the actual content of the games.The findings raised concerns among parents and organizations that monitor content in games. Warnings about in-game content boxes must be clear and accurate so that parents can make informed decisions about purchasing or downloading games for their children.Another important finding of the study was that transparency and consistency in the provision of information about game content are key aspects of consumer protection. Organizations issuing age ratings and content warnings should increase accountability and ensure that information is accurate and accessible to all users.

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