EU Targets 11 Video Games and Their Virtual Currencies, Crypto Exempted

"There’s no such thing as a free lunch," Milton Friedman used to repeat. Free-to-play games are demonstrating this today in front of Brussels. On September 30, the European Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network launched eleven coordinated actions targeting ten video game publishers. The issue at hand is the sale of virtual currencies in Minecraft, Candy Crush Saga, Valorant, and Call of Duty Mobile.

However, cryptocurrencies are exempt from this crackdown. A footnote in the principles adopted in March 2025 excludes them from the scope. The text also excludes currencies that can only be obtained through gameplay.

Key Points

• Eleven coordinated actions target ten publishers, including Mojang (Microsoft), King.com, Riot Games, Supercell, and Ubisoft EMEA.
• Brussels accuses publishers of stacking conversions, obscuring costs in euros, and leaving unusable balances.
• The March 2025 principles explicitly exclude cryptocurrencies and currencies targeted by anti-money laundering directives.
• Authorities are also examining random rewards, addictive design, and purchase incentives aimed at minors.

Minecraft, Candy Crush, and Nine Other Games Under Brussels' Scrutiny

This CPC (Consumer Protection Cooperation) network brings together national authorities responsible for consumer law. The European Commission coordinates it. It targets Activision Blizzard UK, Crytek, InnoGames, King.com, Mojang (Microsoft), Plarium Europe, PLR Worldwide Sales, Riot Games, Supercell, and Ubisoft EMEA. The list of targeted titles includes Diablo Immortal, Call of Duty Mobile, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Forge of Empires, Candy Crush Saga, Minecraft, Mech Arena, Gardenscapes, Valorant, Clash of Clans, and For Honor. The network chose them for their large audience, multiple platforms, and varied age classifications.

The main grievance concerns price display. According to the principles published in spring 2025, the cost in euros must be clearly shown next to the desired item. However, publishers stack layers of virtual currencies. They impose successive conversions that muddle the calculations. The network also targets bundles designed to never be just right. For example, a player buys 500 gems for an item that costs 480. The leftover balance then sits in the account until the next purchase.

"Are you buying coins, gems, or other virtual currencies in a video game?
You should know how much you're spending.
EU consumer authorities are stepping up action against practices that may put players at risk. Your rights apply in-game too."
Buying coins, gems or other virtual currencies in a videogame?

You should know how much you're spending.

EU consumer authorities are stepping up action on practices that may put players at risk. Your rights apply in-game too.

ℹ️https://t.co/3rniSaR6RI pic.twitter.com/BusAv4Tf4p
--- EU Justice (@EU_Justice) September 30, 2026

Moreover, the fourteen-day right of withdrawal applies to purchased but unspent currency. The network also considers two contractual clauses abusive. The first allows the publisher to unilaterally change the value of its currency. The second permits account closure without the possibility of contestation.

Loot Boxes, Children, and Big Spenders at the Center of Procedures

But the issue goes beyond the displayed price. The CPC network says it pays particular attention to random rewards, with loot boxes at the forefront. It mainly monitors those that target minors or remain accessible to them. It also aims at dark patterns, aggressive commercial practices, and direct encouragement of children to make purchases. European law already prohibits this last practice. The network also cites misleading countdowns and false claims of rarity. Finally, in the Activision Blizzard case, authorities are examining data collection and addictive design. They are also looking into default parental controls and account blocking.

The network considers children to be vulnerable by default. Thus, any game not aimed exclusively at adults should expect a significant share of minor players. European principles also categorize the biggest spenders, the whales, among vulnerable audiences.

<< Big spenders >> are likely to have impulse control difficulties or gambling-related disorders.

CPC Network, key principles on virtual currencies in video games

Authorities had opened dialogue with professional federations last year during workshops in June and September 2025. The outcome, however, is bleak: a high number of companies have made no substantive changes to their games. Self-regulation at PEGI has indeed produced some improvements. But it often misses the heart of the criticized practices. The network had actually kicked off in March 2025 with the Swedish publisher Star Stable Entertainment. It accused them of directly pushing children to make purchases.

Game Virtual Currencies: Why Crypto Remains Outside the Scope

The key principles from March 2025 exclude, in a footnote, cryptocurrencies and similar digital currencies. These function as alternative payment methods through encryption. The text also excludes virtual currencies as defined by the fifth anti-money laundering directive. For reference, this directive has required the registration of exchange platforms and crypto custodians since 2020. The regime thus targets currencies purchased with real money within closed economies.

Gems never leave the server. Those from Clash of Clans, for example, only exist at Supercell. The publisher sets the price, conversion rate, and lifespan. It also contractually retains the ability to change the rules. In contrast, a token issued on a public blockchain has a verifiable supply by anyone. It also has a secondary market, and its holder keeps their keys. Crypto-assets are also subject to the MiCA regulation, fully applicable since December 2024. This regulation requires a whitepaper, provider approval, and mandatory reserves for stablecoin issuers.

Publishers are precisely contesting this comparison. Video Games Europe and the EGDF, the two industry federations, say they have been requesting a legal basis since spring 2025. They ask what text would make game currencies << digital representations of value >>. No response. They do, however, propose a series of commitments. Among them is a refund within 48 hours for unused prizes. The federations also propose a 30-day notice before the withdrawal of paid content.

Digital Fairness Act: The Next Step in Brussels

Meanwhile, the Commission is preparing a Digital Fairness Act against dark patterns, addictive design, and loot boxes. Brussels is expected to present its legislative proposal by the end of the year.

The ten publishers now have the upper hand. The CPC network operates through dialogue: companies present their commitments. In the absence of an agreement, national authorities can impose sanctions. Across the Atlantic, the Federal Trade Commission had imposed $245 million in refunds on Epic Games in 2022. The issue was related to V-Bucks purchases triggered by misleading interfaces in Fortnite. In blockchain games, however, the problem presents itself differently. The purchased item becomes a token that the player keeps in their wallet and can resell.