Brazil court fines Riot R$15M over League of Legends loot boxes

A Brazilian federal court fined Riot Games R$15 million for collective moral damages tied to loot boxes in League of Legends, part of a broader R$298 million decision that also penalized Apple, Microsoft, Tencent, Google, Sony and Valve.

The ruling came from the 1st Court for Children and Youth of the Federal District in Brasília under Brazil’s ECA Digital law, which took effect in March 2026. The law bans loot boxes for minors and treats paid randomized rewards as a consumer protection matter. In the decision, the court found that companies profiting from gambling-like mechanics directed at children are responsible for resulting harm.

Within the total penalties, Apple, Microsoft and Tencent were each assessed R$50 million. Riot’s fine was R$15 million. Google, Sony and Valve were included in the judgment, with their penalties counted in the overall amount. The court also ordered all defendants to implement age verification and clearly disclose the probabilities of receiving items from paid loot boxes.

Riot began adding age gates and verification for League of Legends in Brazil in March 2026, aligned with the law’s start date. Players under 18 now face restrictions that block access to monetized features, including randomized reward systems.

League of Legends features Hextech Crafting, where players can buy or earn chests that grant cosmetic items at random. These cosmetics do not change gameplay, but regulators focus on the purchase model in which users pay without knowing the outcome.

Brazil has examined loot boxes since at least 2021 through legislative and consumer protection inquiries. The current approach does not ban loot boxes for adults and centers enforcement on protecting minors. Belgium prohibited loot boxes in 2018, while a later attempt to ban them in the Netherlands was overturned in court.

The ruling applies nationwide in Brazil, one of the largest video game markets. Platform holders and publishers operating in the country must verify player age and publish item-drop odds to continue offering paid randomized rewards.

Previously, we reported that Riot Games introduced Locke, League of Legends’ 173rd champion, set for June 24, 2026 with Patch 26.13 as the year’s only new champion.