In March, video games will no longer be allowed to sell loot boxes to individuals under the age of 18 in Brazil due to a ban enacted by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. This ban is part of a comprehensive law approved by Brazil’s Congress aimed at enhancing online safety for children.

The legislation, known as Lei 15.211/2025, seeks to protect the best interests of children and adolescents, emphasizing their privacy, safety, mental and physical health, access to information, and overall well-being. Specifically, it states that loot boxes in electronic games targeted at minors or likely to be accessible to them are prohibited, aligning with the respective age ratings.

The law also mandates that games enabling user interactions through text, audio, or video must adhere to separate guidelines established by earlier legislation, enhancing oversight on abuse and user interactions in a digital space. Brazil follows in the footsteps of other nations, like Belgium, which banned loot boxes back in 2018, and various proposals in the US, Netherlands, and Australia aimed at regulating these practices.

Brazil’s new regulations will require companies to implement secure age verification procedures, moving away from the past practice where users merely self-identified their age. Though the aim is to ensure a safer online environment for children, concerns persist regarding user privacy and data handling associated with age verification.