Dutch court overturns earlier ruling, decides FIFA Ultimate Team cards aren't gambling

EA no longer have to remove them in the Netherlands

Part of the ruling concerns whether FIFA Ultimate Teams constitutes “an isolated game” unto itself, which the court ultimately decided was not the case. “They are part of a game of skill and add an element of chance to the game,” says the ruling. The fullruling is available online in Dutch.

“This decision confirms our belief that no aspect of FIFA or FIFA Ultimate Team can be considered gambling under Dutch law,” EA said in a statementgiven to Polygon. “At Electronic Arts our approach to game design puts choice, fun, fairness and value first. Our priority has always been to make sure that our players in the Netherlands and across the world have a positive experience.”

EA have made changes to FIFA Ultimate Team in response to a growing wave of regulation around the world.FIFA 22, for example, lets playerslook inside loot boxes before purchasing them.

While this ruling concerns what exactly is and is not considered gambling under Dutch law, that’s separate from any question regarding the quality and ethics of FIFA Ultimate Team. We can make our own judgement, there.