FIFA 18 and FIFA 19 FUT Packs are causing EA a bit of a headache in Belgium. The European country has been aggressively going after publishers recently for loot boxes, which it claims relates to gambling.
The loot box ruling came into effect in Belgium earlier this year, declaring loot boxes as gambling and therefore unlawful. 2K has recently following the letter of the law by making changes to their loot boxes in NBA 2K in order to comply. Overwatch loot boxes have also been removed for Belgium players.
However, EA isn’t going down without a fight. Currently, FUT Packs are still available in FIFA 18 and will be available in FIFA 19, unless the publisher changes its mind and makes some changes, or loses in court.
FIFA 18 and FIFA 19 FUT packs can be bought with real money, though EA is comparing them to Panini stickers. Players will know exactly how many objects they get, said Andrew House speaking to Nieusblad. However, what you receive in the packs is totally random.
According to the report, the Belgium authorities have now said to EA that they are at risk of legal prosecution, so this could make its way into the courts of Brussels.
It’s no wonder EA doesn’t want to give up its FIFA FUT packs. Though there’s no statistics on the Belgium market specifically, the revenue share gained from loot boxes is said to be substantial for the California-based company.
Source: Reddit