The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is publishing the government’s response to the DCMS Select Committee’s report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies.

As part of the response, it has been announced that DCMS will launch a call for evidence into the impact of loot boxes on in-game spending and gambling-like behaviour later this year.

Loot boxes are items within video games that can be purchased or earned where the player does not know what they will get until after the transaction is completed. These can include power-ups and cosmetic upgrades, known as skins.

The video games sector is a key part of the UK’s world-leading creative industries, contributing £2.6 billion in 2018 and growing more than 16 times faster than the wider UK economy since 2010.

However, the DCMS Select Committee’s report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies highlighted important issues facing some users in this fast-changing space.

The response published by the department sets out the steps the government is taking to address these concerns and protect audiences across the UK.