New York sues video game developer Valve, says its ‘loot boxes’ are gambling

  • New York says Valve promotes ‘quintessential gambling’
  • Attorney General Letitia James says children can be addicted
  • Lawsuit sees fine, restitution
  • Valve not available for comment
NEW YORK, Feb 25 (Reuters) – New York’s attorney general sued Valve, a video game developer whose franchises include Counter-Strike, Team Fortress and Dota, accusing it of promoting illegal gambling and threatening to addict children through its use of “loot boxes.”
In a complaint filed on Wednesday in a state court in Manhattan, Attorney General Letitia James said Valve’s loot boxes amounted to “quintessential gambling,” violating the state’s constitution and penal law, with valuable items often hard to win and many items worth pennies.

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https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/new-york-sues-video-game-developer-valve-says-its-loot-boxes-are-gambling-2026-02-25/