Why has Belgium banned Fifa points?

Gamers in Belgium won't be able to buy Fifa 19 Ultimate Team player packs anymore after a government ban on in-game purchases.

EA Sports - who make the game - have agreed to remove the in-game purchasing option after talks with the Belgian government.

In Belgium, in-game purchases are illegal because they are seen as a form of gambling.

They see buying player packs as an "illegal game of chance", because gamers don't know exactly what's in a box when they buy it.

EA Sports said in a statement that they don't believe buying player packs is gambling.

Do you think buying player packs is like gambling? Should Fifa points be banned here in the UK? You can tell you what you think about this in the comments.

What is in-game purchasing?

In Fifa 19's 'Ultimate Team', gamers have the opportunity to earn coins, which can then be used to buy packs of new players.

However, players also have the option of paying for points to put towards player packs, using real money.

These player packs are known as 'loot boxes'.

What do the makers of Fifa say?

EA argue that Fifa's Ultimate Team packs are the equivalent to buying a packet of Panini football stickers - because just like with Fifa's player packs, you aren't sure what 5 stickers you'll get in the sticker pack.

EA Sports boss Andrew Wilson says he doesn't agree that its games could "be considered as any form of gambling".

He argues that because players "always receive a specified number of items in each pack", and "don't provide or authorise any way to cash out or sell items or virtual currency for real money", they are not "an illegal game of chance".

There are currently no plans to ban Fifa points in the UK.

Tell you what you think about this in the comments below. Do you think Fifa points should be banned in the UK?