The loot box saga just got cranked up to 11. It’s been promoted from the Reddit arena and has emerged on to the world stage.

Belgium minister of justice Koen Geens struck the first blow yesterday with a sweeping declaration, stating that loot boxes and the practice of mixing gambling and gaming “is dangerous for the mental health of the child.”

Geens isn’t just condemning the practice of loot boxes though, he’s trying to get rid of them entirely. He and Belgium plan on approaching the European Union with the goal of ousting them completely from the region.

Officially, Belgium’s Gaming Commission hasn’t made any ruling regarding the status of loot boxes as gambling. This means that the entire ordeal could come to nothing. However, the overwhelming sentiment, both domestically and abroad, is that loot boxes are harmful and predatory in nature.

Though Geens attitude and statement of intent technically hold no legal bearing, they do act as a sort of amplifier for the thoughts and feelings of millions of gamers.

This whole saga started back when an EA comment on microtransactions and loot boxes in Star Wars Battlefront II became the most downvoted comment in the history of Reddit. Since then, EA has slogged through an unprecedented PR nightmare. One that resulted in them completely removing microtransactions from their game, temporarily.

Belgium’s Geens isn’t the only government official to speak up on the matter. Hawaii state representative Chris Lee recently called the business practice of loot boxes “predatory.” He said in a press conference that loot boxes are “something we need to address to ensure that particularly kids who are underage, who are not psychologically and emotionally mature enough to gamble […] are protected from being trapped into these cycles which have compelled many folks to spend thousands of dollars in gaming fees online.”

As the loot box drama continues, the next big shoe to drop will likely be Belgium’s official ruling. They’re decision could be a catalyst of change for the gaming industry, especially if they were able to get the European Union on their side.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated as the story evolves.