Spain has approved a sweeping Child Protection in Digital Environments Bill, placing tight restrictions on loot boxes in video games to shield minors from predatory mechanics. The legislation, backed by Minister of Youth and Children Sira Rego and Minister of Justice Félix Bolaños, passed in Cabinet this week and is expected to move quickly through Parliament.
The bill bans minors from accessing games and platforms that feature randomized reward systems like loot boxes—widely criticized for mimicking gambling. Developers must implement robust age verification systems or face regulatory penalties.
Beyond gaming, the law raises the minimum age for social media use from 14 to 16, mandates parental control tools on all digital devices, and strengthens penalties for digital grooming and deepfake abuse.
Minister Bolaños emphasized the urgent need to “protect minors in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem,” while Rego called the law “a turning point in digital child safety.”
With Spain taking a firm stance, the move could ripple across Europe’s video game industry, forcing developers to rethink monetization strategies. The new rules are set to take effect later this year, positioning Spain as a regulatory leader in responsible digital gaming.
