(Photo: Alamy)
Washington, D.C. — February 26, 2025
Let’s get real: whether it’s a loot box in Overwatch 2, a battle pass in Fortnite, a rare card in a trading card pack, or a blind-box toy figure, the goal is the same — get kids (and adults) hooked on spending for random or limited rewards. And yes, the FTC finally acknowledged part of the problem yesterday: loot boxes are gambling, and targeting children with them is predatory.
But the story doesn’t stop with traditional loot boxes. Take Fortnite: the game doesn’t have loot boxes, but it has battle passes. Pay $10–$15, grind for levels, unlock a limited-time skin — or miss out entirely. Suddenly, a cosmetic item becomes a badge of status. Kids feel excluded if they can’t access it. Worse, some cosmetic items across games, from Fortnite to Call of Duty, offer pay-to-win advantages, turning what should be fun, skill-based play into a pay-to-progress treadmill.
This isn’t harmless fun — it’s a psychological trap. The random or limited nature of these rewards preys on our natural desire to collect, complete, and be part of the in-group. Publishers have spent years perfecting this formula: hook players with something rare, make it time-limited, and watch them chase it.
And make no mistake: these mechanics are normalized gambling behavior. Kids learn that spending money is the only way to get what they want — sometimes hundreds of dollars in a single season. Parents are left paying the bill, and children internalize a dangerous lesson: if you want it, pay.
The FTC’s February 25, 2025 ruling requiring parental consent, odds disclosure, and age restrictions is a step forward. But it only scratches the surface. Battle passes, cosmetic-driven pay-to-win items, and collectible blind boxes must be included in this conversation. The question isn’t whether these systems are harmful — it’s when society will stop letting billion-dollar companies exploit children for profit.
In 2025, the lesson is clear: gambling is not just in loot boxes. It’s everywhere in the games and toys marketed to kids, and it’s time we treated it as such. Until we do, the industry will continue to profit from the youngest and most impressionable among us.