The Austrian Supreme Court has ruled that loot boxes present within video games do not constitute gambling under their gambling laws. This comes after a player attempted to reclaim nearly €20,000 ($24,000) spent on in-game purchases in a football video game. The plaintiff spent money in the game on loot boxes between 2017 and 2021, with the purpose of acquiring digital players in order to enhance his virtual team in the game.
Includes prediction markets in the definition of gambling by specifying that the purchase, sale, or financial speculation of securities or commodities on the outcome or future contingent events related to sports, contests, people, politics, catastrophe, and death.
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