The games publisher Square Enix is pulling three mobile games from Belgium following the introduction of a law in the European nation that bans “loot boxes” as a form of gambling.

The games – Mobius Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts Union X and Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia – are some of largest titles in the publisher’s mobile roster, although it is better known for its console games such as Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy and Hitman.

In statements posted in the games, Square Enix confirmed that the new law was to blame for their removal, citing “the present uncertain legal status of ‘loot boxes’ under Belgian law”.

Belgium first took action against “loot boxes”, digital reward packs which can be be bought with real or virtual money and contain a semi-random array of in-game items, back in April. The country’s gaming commission ruled that the mechanics, as implemented in three popular games – Overwatch, Fifa 18 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – were in violation of gambling legislation.

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“Mixing games and gambling, especially at a young age, is dangerous for mental health,” the country’s justice minister, Koen Geens, said at the time. “That is why we must also ensure that children and adults are not confronted with games of chance when they are looking for fun in a video game.”

Other games have been similarly hit by the law, with the developers of popular online RPG Guild Wars 2 removing real-money purchases from the game back in September. But the economics of free-to-play mobile games, such as those pulled by Square Enix, means that they often feature no monetisation elements beyond loot boxes, leaving little reason for publishers to support them in the absence of the pseudo-gambling feature.

Other jurisdictions have hinted towards following Belgium’s lead. An Australian inquiry into the practice heard evidence in August that loot boxes could cause overspending and were a gateway to “more conventional forms of gambling”, while Hawaiian state senators introduced legislation in February seeking to prohibit the purchase of randomised rewards using real money by anyone under 21.

Unusually for video-game legislation, the proposals enjoy broad support amongplayers as well, who have repeatedly formed ad-hoc consumer campaigns against loot boxes in blockbuster titles. A new Star Wars game, Battlefront II, saw its hopes for commercial and critical success scuppered in late 2017, when its real-money transaction system was seen by critics as so exploitative as to ruin the base game. Eventually, all real-money purchases were pulled from the title before publication.