The next ruling on loot boxes has been made in Austria: This time it’s about the weapon boxes in Counter-Strike. Developer Valve must refund more than 14,000 euros
There have already been two rulings in Austria regarding loot boxes in FIFA and EA SPORTS FC 24. These were classified as “illegal” in both Vienna and Hermagor. Sony, whose store handles the payment processing, had to pay money back to the plaintiffs.
Now there is also a ruling on the loot boxes in Counter-Strike. Valve Corporation lost a court case in Styria. This company not only operates the PC platform Steam, but is also the developer and publisher of the shooter.
Lootboxes classified as gambling – payments “reclaimable “
As in the EA SPORTS and Sony case, the Viennese law firm Salburg and the litigation funder Padronus argued that the loot boxes in Counter-Strike are illegal gambling. The court acknowledged this and concluded that “the content of the ‘Weapon Cases’ is dependent on chance” and therefore represents “a pecuniary benefit within the meaning of the Austrian Gaming Act”, according to the litigation funder’s press release.
Making a profit is possible as “the skins are traded on a secondary market, for example on Steam”. Consequently, it is a matter of gambling: “As Valve does not hold a gambling license, the contracts concluded between it and the plaintiff are null and void and the payments made are recoverable”.
This is exactly what was done, which is why Valve has to repay a customer a total of 14,096.58 euros. However, the judgment is not yet legally binding. However, Padronus Managing Director Richard Eibl sees good chances: “Even if Valve Corporation appeals, which we do not expect, their chances are extremely poor, as we have already won in the second instance against Electronic Arts and Sony on the same legal issue.”