A bill containing provisions to ban 'complete gacha,' a mechanic where players collect results obtained through probability-based items to acquire a new item, has been re-introduced in the National Assembly.

On September 1, during the 429th regular session of the National Assembly, Assembly Member Kim Byung-ki of the Democratic Party of Korea and 12 other lawmakers submitted an amendment to the Game Industry Promotion Act. The amendment includes restrictions on 'complete gacha,' a ban on probability manipulation, and new protection measures for game users.

The push to ban complete gacha began in 2021 alongside legal regulations for probability-based items. However, the 2023 amendment regarding probability disclosure excluded provisions for complete gacha due to legal constraints regarding the inclusion of matters not specified by law in enforcement decrees.

The reason for proposing this amendment is that current laws lack sanctions for violating probability disclosure obligations and do not contain clauses banning 'complete gacha,' which is argued to encourage gambling-like behavior. Additionally, it highlights the need for a multi-faceted approach to user protection, given the nature of game items that can be easily adjusted or deleted by developers.

The core of the amendment is to ban the act of manipulating acquisition probabilities of probability-based items without informing users, as well as the complete gacha model. These will be implemented by adding new subsections to Article 28, Paragraph 1 of the existing Game Industry Promotion Act.

The bill also grants the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism the authority to conduct direct investigations if there is suspicion regarding the disclosure of probability-based item information. In such cases, relevant officials may enter business premises to conduct necessary inspections or examine documents.

Furthermore, it mandates the disclosure of information regarding the provision, exchange, return, refund, and compensation policies for content obtained by substituting, combining, or trading paid content such as game items or currency. If the service for such games or content is terminated, developers must implement user protection measures, including refunds or compensation.

Attention is now focused on whether this long-awaited bill to restrict complete gacha will actually be passed.