Hawaii Government Introduces 4 Bills Regulating The Sale Of Games With Micro-transactions.
The Hawaiian government has introduced 2 house bills and 2 senate bills which aim to regulate the sale of video games containing microtransactions under the pretenses of them being manipulative and exploitative, resulting in harm to those with addictive predispositions, such as children. The first 2 bills, House Bill 2686 and Senate Bill 3024, attempt to limit the sale of games with these mechanics to those under 21, stating that
In the body of the bill, it compares the current micro-transaction structure to gambling, saying that they're "psychology to compel players to keep spending money in the same way that casino games are so designed." It goes on to then call them "predatory", and claim that they pose the same risks to consumers as gambling. It also mentions the somewhat controversial proposition of the American Psychological Association in classifying internet gaming disorder as a psychological condition to illustrate what they see as the dangers of this mechanism.It shall be unlawful for any retailer to sell to any person under twenty-one years of age a video game that contains a system of further purchasing:
(1) A randomized reward or rewards; or
(2) A virtual item which can be redeemed to directly or indirectly receive a randomized reward or rewards.
The last 2 bills, House Bill 2727 and Senate Bill 3025, then go on to propose that all those who utilize these mechanics in their games should be required to disclose the probability of acquiring each item a player could receive, as well as to include a prominently featured warning on/in the game which reads "Warning: contains in-game purchases and gambling-like mechanisms which may be harmful or addictive."
This is an effort spearheaded by Hawaii state Rep. Chris Lee of Oahu after the massive backlash against the mechanic of lootboxes, primarily brought about by the large controversy of EA's Star Wars: Battlefront II's lootboxe and micro-transactions. Chris criticized the current attitude of the games industry, saying "I grew up playing games my whole life. I’ve watched firsthand the evolution of the industry from one that seeks to create new things to one that’s begun to exploit people, especially children, to maximize profit." It's important to note that these bills still need to pass through both the House and Senate before they reach the governor for consideration, meaning the regulations detailed in these bills are, as of yet, not in effect.
House Bill 2686
House Bill 2727
Senate Bill 3024
Senate Bill 3025
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