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On Wednesday, the European Parliament called for better protection of gamers from addiction and other manipulative practices, while highlighting the potential of this innovative sector.
The report, passed by 577 votes to 56 with 15 abstentions, calls for harmonized rules to give parents good visibility and control over what games their children play and how much time and money they spend on games. MEPs are demanding clearer information about content, in-game purchase policies and the target age group of games, possibly in line with the Pan-European Game Information System (PEGI), which is already in use in 38 countries.
They also want to protect minors from being prompted to make in-game purchases and from participating in so-called gold farming, the practice of selling items obtained in the game for real money, as this can be linked to financial crimes and loss of life. rights violations. In addition, game developers should avoid creating games that fuel addiction and should consider the age, rights and vulnerabilities of children.
MEPs say video game developers should also prioritize data protection, gender balance and player safety and should not discriminate against people with disabilities. They emphasize that unsubscribing from games should be as easy as subscribing to them. The policy of buying, returning and refunding games must comply with EU rules, and national authorities must put an end to illegal practices that allow players to exchange, sell or bet on in-game sites.
Parliament recognizes the value and potential of the video game sector and wants to support its further development. To this end, MEPs are proposing the establishment of an annual European award for online video games and are asking the Commission to put forward a European video game strategy that will help this creative and cultural sector reach its full potential.
