The controversial Squeal of Fortune may soon become a thing of the past, if an Australian senator has his way.
Federal Senator Nick Xenophon is on a personal quest to plug loop-holes in Australian laws which allow young gamers to gamble online. He has Runescape's Squeal of Fortune in his sights.
The in-game feature has escaped gambling laws all over the world, because rewards cannot be cashed outside the game. It is precisely this aspect which will be debated in the Australian Senate.
If the loophole is plugged, then Jagex will not legally be able to retain gambling-style micro-transactions if Runescape is available Down Under.
Nick Xenophon Targets Jagex in Anti-Gambling Law
As the wheel of fortune turns, the squeal may soon be spun right out of Runescape; if Jagex wants to keep its Australian revenue.
Federal Senator Nick Xenophon is no stranger to the fight against gambling. Some might say that it's his personal crusade in politics. But until now his focus has been the big concerns, like betting shops and huge poker games.
Only now his attention has been caught by a series of high-profile stories involving young Runescape players. Huge bills have been run up on their parent's credit cards, as they spin the wheel for in-game profit.
In private correspondence, Xenophon's spokesperson Anna Gordon explained, "According to gambling research experts, fantasy-based games like Runescape are as addictive as poker machines because they operate on the same processes, especially as some games allow players to bet using real money through credit cards or PayPal.
"However, because any credits or ‘winnings’ can’t be cashed-out the games are exempt from Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act."
It's precisely this law which Xenophon is seeking to amend. He will be introducing his proposal to his fellow legislators, when the Australian Parliament meets in February 2013.