According to the Het Nieuwsblad, a 15-year-old Belgian boy, whose name is currently unknown, recklessly spent €37,000 (approximately $46,000 and £29,006) on Game of War: Fire Age, a free-to-play title released earlier this year on iOS and Android.
The boy managed to make in-app purchases for virtual gold on Game of War: Fire Age — the app’s currency that allows players to progress much faster than usual in exchange for real-world money — but it’s also stated on Flandersnews.be that not a single person was aware at the fact he had spent so much money on the title.
The Belgian Gambling Commission has responded to the news and said “We need stricter rules” in place, with similar cases occurring over the past few years.
Earlier this year, both Google and Apple confirmed they would offer a rebate to customers who were affected by microtransitions made in an app whilst placing tougher restrictions on titles so that future incidents could be avoided.