Pentagon Pulls ‘Lucky Box’ Machine After Operator’s Social Media Brag

• Pentagon removes loot box-style vending machine after online criticism
  
• Machine sparked debate over gambling mechanics inside military headquarters
  
• Reddit users mocked novelty device as inappropriate for national security site

The US Defense Department has removed a “Lucky Box” machine from the Pentagon “pending additional review,” according to a spokesperson, after critics questioned whether it was appropriate to install a chance-based loot box-style device in the heart of American military power.

On Christmas Eve, a company called Lucky Box Vending posted on social media of its pride in having placed one of its devices at the Department of Defense (DoD) headquarters, “a place built on legacy, leadership, and history – now experiencing the thrill of Lucky Box firsthand.”

The post was quickly deleted, but soon after, images of the machine, which was installed in the main Pentagon food court, appeared on the r/army community on Reddit and spread to military subreddits from there. Many said it was cartoonishly out of place in an environment associated with national security and military discipline.

What’s a Lucky Box Machine?

Lucky Box machines resemble the “gacha” games popular in Japan and the loot boxes prevalent in many modern video games, in which users pay money to receive items with randomized contents rather than a guaranteed prize.

Inside a Lucky Box, you’ll typically find trading cards, branded merchandise, figures and toys, and other accessories, with the promise that each box is worth at least what you paid (based on the operator’s own retail pricing).

Gambling is banned on all military installations in the US, including at the Pentagon, although slot machines are prevalent at US bases abroad. Lucky Box games aren’t legally categorized as gambling, even though they ape its dynamics.

Prize Every Time

While two of the three elements typically used to define gambling — consideration (stake) and chance — are present, there is no “losing” outcome in the strict legal sense because users are guaranteed to receive an item of asserted value with every transaction.

Nevertheless, Redditors were unimpressed.

“Wtf? why is the Pentagon endorsing a scam box scheme?” asked one.

I never thought I’d see the day where a LTC (Lieutenant Colonel) might seriously consider selling secrets for a chance at a Pikachu art rare from the Pentagon food court,” joked another.

That’s not to say the DoD is against military personnel gambling, per se. In fact, it’s a major gambling operator. The department operates more than 3,000 slots worldwide, predominantly at US Army bases in Japan and Germany, but also at Naval bases in Korea, Italy, Spain, Diego Garcia, Greece, and Singapore, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). These generate more than $100 million per year for the department.