Are loot boxes legal in Belgium?

You’re probably wondering why the new mobile game that’s all the rage around the world isn’t available in Belgium. There’s a good chance it’s because of loot boxes, those random boxes of loot that can be purchased in various video and mobile games. They are not legal in Belgium, and games that offer them are banned. Here are the exact regulations surrounding loot boxes in Belgium.  

What is a loot box?  

A loot box is a random digital item that you pay for, the contents of which are unknown at the time of purchase. To obtain one, players often have to spend real money, though this isn’t always the case.  

This random mechanism is similar to a lottery. The user hopes to obtain rare or valuable items to enhance their gaming experience. This uncertainty and the repeated purchasing to obtain specific items have led the Belgian authorities to classify loot boxes as games of chance.  

What does Belgian law say about loot boxes? 

In 2018, Belgium became one of the first countries to ban paid loot boxes in video games. The Gaming Commission ruled that these mechanisms met the criteria for games of chance, as they involve a financial stake (the purchase of virtual currency), an element of chance and the possibility of a win. This decision had a major impact on the video game industry, forcing some publishers to review their business models.  

The Belgian Minister of Justice at the time, Koen Geens, stated:   

“Mixing gambling and video games, especially for children, is dangerous for mental health”.   

Some mobile games featuring a form of loot boxes are known as gacha. This type of video game is based on a random draw system inspired by Japanese toy vending machines, known as Gashapon.   

In these games, players spend virtual currency (earned by playing or via in-app purchases) to obtain characters, items or equipment of varying rarities.   

The principle is based on a combination of collecting and randomness, encouraging players to make multiple draws to obtain rare or powerful items. Highly popular in mobile and free-to-play games, the gacha model is often compared to loot boxes and can be addictive due to its system resembling a game of chance. 

Any form of paid loot box (gacha or traditional loot boxes) is considered illegal in Belgium. 

Which popular games are banned in Belgium?  

As soon as the law came into force, several games were affected. They had two options: adapt their content to this new law or withdraw from the market. 

Banned games  

Several games refused to adapt, so they simply disappeared from the App Store and Google Play overnight:  

• Dragon Ball Dokkan Battle: this mobile game, much loved by fans of the franchise, had been available in Belgium for several years. It was eventually withdrawn due to its system of paid random draws with no guarantee of results.  

• Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: The mobile version of Animal Crossing was also withdrawn from the Belgian market for several years due to the fortune cookie system, which allowed players to obtain random items or clothing in exchange for real money.  

Other games were never released in Belgium because they did not comply with the law on loot boxes at the time of their launch:  

• Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage (also known as Project Sekai): Released in 2021 in Europe, this game is not available in Belgium due to its gacha system for obtaining character cards. 

• Lost Ark: in 2022, the hugely successful Korean game made its debut in Europe. The game was banned in Belgium and the Netherlands upon its release, but the Netherlands soon gave its approval and the game became available to Dutch players. To date, the game remains banned in Belgium due to its entirely random in-game economy (random paid cosmetics, random paid materials, random equipment upgrades, etc.)  

• Diablo: Immortal: This game was banned in Belgium upon release due to the loot boxes it contains, with Blizzard having chosen not to offer a version adapted for Belgium. 

• Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket: Recently released, this game is banned in Belgium due to its random booster packs. Although players can receive some for free, the free-to-play version is very limited, encouraging players to purchase virtual currency to obtain more booster packs. Furthermore, the booster packs are 100% random with no guarantee of receiving a rare card or higher when opening a pack.  

• Umamusume: Pretty Derby: This popular horse racing simulation game has been available in most countries worldwide since June 2025, but it is banned in Belgium due to the gacha system that unlocks playable characters and support cards.  

Permitted games  

Other games offer a version adapted for Belgium in which loot boxes have been removed or replaced by a different system:  

• FIFA: The Ultimate Team mode, which relies on the purchase of card packs, has been ruled illegal. EA has disabled this feature for Belgian players.  

• Overwatch: The reward box system has been removed to comply with the law.  

• Star Wars Battlefront II: Loot boxes are not available in Belgium.  

• Wikigacha: This browser game, which turns Wikipedia pages into cards, is completely free and is therefore permitted.  

• Love Nikki, Shining Nikki and Infinity Nikki: The paid gacha systems in these dress-up games are blocked, but it is still possible to obtain items through free gachas.  

Are gacha games still permitted?  

Despite the ban on paid loot boxes, some games using gacha-like mechanics remain available in Belgium. The most telling example is Genshin Impact, which features a random summoning system to obtain characters and weapons. However, the game includes a ‘pity’ system guaranteeing a rare item after a certain number of attempts, making the mechanism less random.  

Other games from HoYoverse, such as Honkai: Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero, use similar systems and are still available in Belgium. Similarly, Arknights and Azur Lane allow players to obtain characters without necessarily spending real money, enabling them to remain compliant with regulations.  

More and more gacha mobile games are using this modified loot box system. You earn virtual currency without spending real money, allowing you to open chests or make wishes for free. This ensures these games remain available to Belgian users.  

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Available again in Belgium  

Due to the random fortune cookies available via in-app purchases, the game had been banned in Belgium since August 2019, but some good news turned the tide at the end of 2024.  

Nintendo, wishing to shut down the game’s servers, decided to offer the game with full access and no paid content. Since 2 December 2024, the game has therefore been available again in Belgium. To get it, you’ll need to buy it via the App Store or the Play Store.  

In this version, all limited content and fortune cookies are available in exchange for leaves, which you receive for free by taking part in challenges, events and other in-game activities.  

The future of loot boxes in Belgium 

Belgium remains one of the strictest countries when it comes to loot boxes, and other nations are closely monitoring these regulations. The United States and Germany are also considering a ban. 

The debate remains open: some argue for greater protection for players, whilst others believe that such bans hinder the video game industry.