European Union: Adopted EU Parliament Report on consumer protection in online video games

On 18 January 2023, the European Parliament adopted the Report on consumer protection in online video games, outlining recommendations for increasing consumer and minor protections in the gaming industry. In particular, the Report stressed that more regulations should be established to enhance minors' protection and limit their involvement in "gold farming", which allows users to sell items acquired in games for real money. In the Report, the Parliament argued that game developers should be required to design games that would not "feed addiction" and consider children's age and vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the Parliament stated that online game developers should implement measures to ensure data protection and the safety of users. Finally, the Parliament asks the European Commission to issue regulations limiting the online platform's ability to allow minors to use their services for the development of games and expand the applicability of consumer protection laws to the online video game sector.