New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against Valve, accusing the company of promoting illegal gambling among the youth.
Specifically, James says that Valve promotes illegal gambling through the use of in-game "loot boxes."
New York Attorney General Files Lawsuit
According to CNET, the lawsuit was filed in a Manhattan court. The full lawsuit can be found here.
In a statement released by the Office of the New York State Attorney General, James said "Valve has made billions of dollars by letting children and adults alike illegally gamble for the chance to win valuable virtual prizes."
"Illegal gambling can be harmful and lead to serious addiction problems, especially for our young people," she added.
With the lawsuit, the attorney general is seeking to stop Valve from promoting gambling features in its games permanently.
The lawsuit also seeks to make the company "disgorge all ill-gotten gains, and pay fines for violating New York's laws," according to the statement.
Users on Reddit have likened loot boxes to gambling themselves.
"It's just gambling with extra steps," on Redditor said in reply to a question asking to explain what loot boxes are.
How Do Loot Boxes Work?
Loot boxes are randomized treasure chest that contain in-game items. In order for a player to acquire a loot box, the player typically to pay real money for the chance to win rare items in the game.
These items are typically used to decorate weapons or characters, which can increase status or reputation among other players.
There have also been instances wherein players who have high-value items opted to sell them for real money.
As to why Valve is being sued, the company's games, such as "Team Fortress 2" and "Dota 2," have loot boxes in them.
Originally published on Player One
