Ted Cruz says he's 'interested' in talking to Asmongold about loot boxes

pcgamer.com:

The uproar over loot boxes and aggressive monetization in free-to-play games has taken an unexpected turn as US Republican senator Ted Cruz has expressed interest in discussing the matter with popular YouTube streamer Asmongold.

The question came up during a recent episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, a YouTube series in which Cruz and his co-host «break down the most important news stories of the day and reveal what they mean for you.» Recent topics include: «The Left is weaponizing the legal system,» «The Left's economic agenda, exposed,» «Will the Left succeed in packing the court?» and «Who would win in a fight: Putin or Elon Musk?» It's deep and heady stuff, for sure.

In the latest video, Cruz takes on the question: «Is pay-to-win gambling for kids?» The subject floated to the top courtesy of someone named Jonathan: Asmongold apparently said recently that he'd reached out to Cruz's office about regulating loot boxes in videogames, and Jonathan wanted to know Cruz's position on the matter. The senator's answer was predictably noncommittal, but it turns out that Cruz does know a thing or two about loot boxes, probably because he indulges in them once in a while.

«I'm happy to engage in a conversation with [Asmongold],» Cruz said. «I'm happy to see what he has to say on it. As I understand it, the concern he's raising is a concern about gambling and kids. And I will say it is certainly true that social media, online environments, including videogames, are designed to be addictive.»

Cruz said he's not a fan of in-game items that confer gameplay advantages, but also acknowledged that he does occasionally spend money on them, «because it is more fun if suddenly your character has a lot more great stuff that would take you