Loot boxes, which offer random in-game items, face new restrictions in Brazil following the entry into force of the Digital Child and Adolescent Statute, known as the ECA Digital, in March 2026. The legislation targets paid reward mechanics in games that are aimed at children and teenagers or are likely to be accessed by them.
Under Law No. 15,211/2025, companies must prevent users under 18 from using paid random-reward features. Possible compliance measures include verifying users’ ages, offering versions without these mechanics or disabling the restricted functions.
The rules do not impose a general ban on loot boxes in Brazil. Adults may continue to access these systems, subject to other applicable legal requirements. In October, the Ministry of Justice asked the National Data Protection Authority to give priority attention to six games: Counter-Strike 2, Call of Duty, NBA 2K26, WWE 2K26, Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile. The request concerns monitoring rather than a ban, and does not establish that the developers violated the law.
Brazil’s approach differs from those adopted in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In Belgium, the Gambling Commission concluded in 2018 that certain paid random-reward systems qualified as gambling under the country’s legislation. The interpretation led companies to modify or remove some features from titles available in the Belgian market.
In the Netherlands, legality depends on the design of the mechanic and whether it falls under gambling rules. There is no general ban on loot boxes. A 2022 court decision overturned a fine imposed on Electronic Arts over FIFA Ultimate Team packs, indicating that random rewards alone are not necessarily enough to classify a system as gambling.
The United Kingdom has also not introduced a specific general ban. Its policy has focused on protecting children and teenagers through measures such as parental controls, purchase restrictions and commitments from the games industry.
The debate centers on the fact that players pay for rewards without knowing the result in advance. Depending on the game, spending real money may provide a chance to obtain rare characters, cards or cosmetic items without guaranteeing a desired outcome.
Research has found associations between spending on loot boxes and problematic gambling-related behavior, although this does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship in every study. The different national approaches reflect the lack of international consensus on how these mechanics should be regulated.
In Brazil, the priority is protecting minors. For developers, the main challenge is to adapt monetization systems and verify users’ ages without necessarily withdrawing games from the market.
Sources: Olhar Digital.