Gacha Back: Second Life Re-Allows Gambling-ish Mechanic After Four Year Ban & Change in "Regulatory Climate" -- But Why Now?

Gachas, a vending machine game of chance to win valuable virtual goods, were banned by Linden Lab from Second Life in 2021 "due to a changing regulatory climate", but now, apparently, the winds of change have brought gachas back:

The decision to prohibit Gacha in 2021 was following regulatory guidelines emerging globally at the time.  We have continued to evaluate what steps we can take to support creative freedom while also ensuring compliance with evolving legal frameworks, which led to the recent changes announced in 2024.

Since then, the regulatory landscape surrounding Gacha systems has further shifted to the point where Gacha can be confidently reintroduced under current prevailing guidance.

No specifics on how that "landscape" has changed -- and Linden Lab won't comment on the record, when I asked -- but I'm looking for recent court rulings in pending litigation against other companies with similar online gambling / loot box cases that might have had something do with it.  For instance, maybe a recent ruling in Antar v. BetMGM had something to do with it:

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed an earlier US district court ruling that dismissed a lawsuit in Antar v. BetMGM. In the case, the plaintiff is trying to recoup almost $25 million from MGM’s online platforms; he argues he is owed something because the operator was trying to keep him gambling through a VIP program.

However, IANAL, nor do I play one on the Internet, so I put it to readers who may be lawyers: What regulatory changes, do you think, brought gachas back?

Comments

[EmptyEyes]

Oh joy, Second Life's gambling mechanics are back, wouldn't want to actually just buy the thing that I want without predatory monetization schemes. No siree.

Perhaps the lack of major global bans over a long period of time has made it seem less risky. But IANAL either.

[sirhc desantis]

Time to re-release my deckchair set. Life buoys and bits of decking natch will be rares...
Still, as of 12:20 CET the guidelines have still not been updated. Funny they announce first and worry about the details after. SOP I guess.
At least it gives the usual suspects something to argue about.

[A]

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/genshin-impact-game-developer-will-be-banned-selling-lootboxes-teens-under-16-without-parental This is surely what brought about the change. It's clear they are worried about the games where children are exposed to lootboxes - not sure gacha are lootboxes as gacha are not essential nor give you an advantage in SL. One assumes further guidance was issued to the industry.

[A]

I read about the VIP program's offered by online gambling sites recently in the WSJ. Essentially people are assigned a person who looks after them. Encouraging them and consoling them over losses. The WSJ article focused on a psychiatrist who started gambling during the covid pandemic. She won lots and then lost it all very quickly. Her attempts to gamble to recoup losses were encouraged by the VIP host adding $500 to the account and words like 'hope you get hot' etc.
https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/gambling-addiction-sports-betting-apps-4463cde0