Stringent local laws appear to be blocking Grand Theft Auto Online players in over 50 countries from gambling in the new Diamond Casino update.

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GTA Online Diamond Casino and Resort 6 IMAGES

The update went live yesterday, but some players soon received in-game notifications that they didn't "have permission" to buy gambling chips to use in the virtual casinos.The new Diamond Casino runs on in-game cash, which can be purchased with real money. It would seem that developer Rockstar Games feels that the transaction mirrors online gambling too closely to ignore. IGN has reached out to Rockstar for comment.Reddit users are reporting that they are able to go inside the casinos, but they are blocked from purchasing betting chips. One user wrote, "I launched and headed straight for the new building, and wanted to buy myself some chips for the games."After contacting support I received a quick reply that because of my region I cannot enjoy the gambling related content in the new DLC". They also noted, "I tried buying the High Roller penthouse but it was locked for no apparent reason".Elsewhere, players have created a current list of 54 countries that can't access Diamond Casino's gambling features. It's wide-ranging, including China, North Korea, Iceland, Cyprus and Poland. In the comments, some of these international players now say they're using VPNs - however that could land them in trouble with Rockstar or their country's legal system.The decision to block access to virtual casinos raises interesting questions around lootboxes, which are legally available in some of the countries that Rockstar has blocked. One user wrote, "So far, no reason for the thing to be blocked in my country (Argentina). We have lootbox mechanics freely available, and so are microtransactions. I don't see how this [buying chips in Diamond Casino] is illegal".International governments have begun paying closer attention to the games industry and how it monetizes online titles. Last year the Netherlands began enforcing a ban on lootboxes , while the UK Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee recently heard evidence from heavy-hitters like EA over randomised in-game purchases.

Alysia Judge is a freelance writer and presenter. Chat to her on Twitter @alysiajudge.