Key Points:

• 5Rights/Royal Society audit of top 100 iPhone games revealed low compliance
• Only 23.5% disclosed loot boxes in store listings
• 8.6% disclosed probability rates, as industry guidelines require
• No effective age checks before loot-box purchases
• Experts call for legally enforceable regulation instead of voluntary codes

A UK study by the 5Rights Foundation and Royal Society analysed the top 100 iPhone games before and after the launch of voluntary loot-box policies.

Findings show extensive non-compliance: just 23.5% of games listed loot boxes in app stores, and only 8.6% disclosed odds as industry guidelines require. None implemented effective age checking, and dark-pattern design persistently pushes purchases without transparent warnings. Colette Collins-Walsh from 5Rights warned that “marking your own homework” isn’t protecting children. The research echoes calls for statutory regulation (treating loot boxes under gambling law or strong consumer protection) to ensure clarity and fairness. The industry’s failure highlights the limits of voluntary frameworks when youth are at risk of financial harm.

5 Rights Foundation – Read more here