FIFA Game Loot Boxes Deserve FTC Probe, Kids’ Advocates Say (2)

Children’s advocacy groups are urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. over its marketing of loot boxes to young players of its popular FIFA: Ultimate Team soccer game.

Pushing the purchase of loot boxes using virtual currency in the FUT game “abstracts the price,” exploiting children’s and teens’ lack of financial literacy, the groups led by the nonprofit Fairplay and the Center for Digital Democracy said in a Thursday letter to the FTC.

The commission should determine whether measures used to encourage buying these boxes violate the FTC Act’s prohibitions against unfair and deceptive ...