Italy vs Activision Blizzard: What the AGCM Probe Means for Mobile Gamers

Why Italy vs Activision Blizzard matters to mobile gamers now

Frustrated by surprise bills, opaque virtual currency and aggressive 'buy now' nudges? You’re not alone. In early 2026 Italy’s competition watchdog, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), opened two formal investigations into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard over in‑game practices in Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile. At stake is more than a single fine — this probe could reshape how microtransactions, loot boxes and 'design nudges' are regulated across Europe and set practical protections for mobile gamers everywhere.

Quick summary (inverted pyramid)

• Who: AGCM (Italy’s competition regulator) vs Activision Blizzard (Microsoft-owned publisher).
• What: Investigations into alleged misleading and aggressive sales practices tied to Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile — focusing on design nudges, currency bundles and inducements that may push spending, including by minors.
• Why it matters: Could force transparency about virtual currency, limit exploitative design techniques, require age controls/spending caps or impose fines — shaping industry-wide monetization models.
• For gamers: Expect clearer pricing, possible curbs on loot‑box‑style mechanics, new spending tools and an easier path to challenge unfair charges.

What AGCM is alleging — the nitty gritty

The AGCM’s publicly posted statement flags a combination of issues it calls misleading and aggressive. In practice the regulator is looking at:

• Design nudges — UI/UX patterns that keep players engaged longer or pressure them to spend (time‑limited offers, fear of missing out mechanics, countdowns).
• Obscured virtual currency value — making it hard for users to understand how much real money they’re actually paying for an item when buying bundles of in‑game currency.
• Bundles and tiered pricing — scaled packs that incentivise larger purchases even when smaller amounts would suffice for progress.
• Impact on minors — the regulator explicitly calls out the potential to influence children, who are known to be more susceptible to these tactics.

“These practices... may influence players as consumers — including minors — leading them to spend significant amounts, sometimes exceeding what is necessary to progress in the game and without being fully aware of the expenditure involved.” — AGCM (January 2026)

Where this fits into the 2026 regulatory climate

Regulatory pressure on game monetization has accelerated since the late 2010s. Belgium and the Netherlands previously examined loot boxes as gambling; national and supranational bodies in the EU have continued to scrutinise opaque monetization. In 2025 and early 2026, regulators moved from debate to enforcement — using competition and consumer law, not just gambling statutes, to target business practices.

That shift matters because consumer protection rules are often quicker to apply than gambling laws. Where gambling regulation requires long legislative cycles, competition authorities can demand transparency, fairness and clear contract terms now. The AGCM probe joins a growing list of actions by national regulators aiming to curb exploitative monetization and provide fast relief for harmed consumers.

Possible outcomes and what they would mean for players

No single case determines the whole industry, but this investigation could produce several practical outcomes that directly affect how mobile gamers experience free‑to‑play titles:

1) Transparency demands and pricing disclosures

AGCM could require Activision Blizzard to display the real-world price equivalent of in‑game currency and ensure every store item shows the cost in pounds/euros. For players this would mean fewer surprises and easier comparisons between offers.

2) Limits on design nudges aimed at minors

Regulators could order changes to countdown timers, FOMO language, and mechanics that create artificial urgency for purchases — particularly where kids are involved. Expect clearer labelling of time‑limited sales and potentially age‑gating aggressive promos.

3) Spending dashboards and default caps

One practical remedy is a mandatory spending dashboard and default monthly spending caps (opt‑out rather than opt‑in). That would give parents and adult users at‑a‑glance control over how much has been spent and how much remains.

4) Refunds and complaint routes

If the AGCM finds unfair commercial practices, it could order refunds for affected consumers or require publishers to implement better in‑app complaint handling and reimbursement processes.

5) Fines and behavioural remedies

Fines are possible, but equally likely are behavioural remedies that change how the games present purchases: alterations to UX, clearer currency breakdowns, and bans on certain high‑pressure offers.

Why publishers will care — commercial and reputational risk

For publishers like Activision Blizzard (under Microsoft ownership since 2023) the AGCM probe is about more than the headline fine. It can mean:

• Operational changes across titles to standardise compliant monetisation.
• New product development costs for redesigning store fronts, currency systems and parental controls.
• Potential ripple effects in other jurisdictions — national regulators often take cues from each other.
• Reputational harm among the core player base and competitive pressure from rivals who proactively adopt consumer‑friendly models.

What this means for Esports, communities and competitive play

Mobile esports rely on engagement; monetisation funds development and prize pools. But when monetisation mechanisms affect balance or access — pay‑to‑win progression or monetised advantages in ranked play — regulators and tournament organisers pay attention.

Potential outcomes that matter for community organisers and pro players:

• Stronger fairness standards: Publishers may be forced to separate competitive integrity systems (ranks, loot drops) from monetised progression.
• Clearer disclosures: Tournament rules and sponsor deals will need to reckon with whether in‑game items are purchasable in a way that skews competition.
• Community-driven moderation: Expect player communities to lobby for changes or create watchlists documenting problematic offers.

Practical, actionable advice for mobile gamers (UK & EU)

While regulators do work, you don’t have to passively accept opaque systems. Here are concrete steps you can take today to protect yourself and your family.

1) Lock down spending

• Use platform spending limits: Apple’s Screen Time and Google Play Family Link allow you to set purchase restrictions and require parental approval.
• Remove saved payment methods or use gift cards/prepaid cards to cap spending.
• Set a personal monthly budget and track purchases using your phone’s purchase receipts and email confirmations.

2) Use in‑game tools and settings

• Check for spending dashboards in game settings; request account transaction histories if not visible.
• Turn off push notifications for limited‑time offers to reduce impulse buys.
• Enable two‑factor authentication and account-level spending confirmations when available.

3) Know your rights and complaint routes

• In the EU, consumers can file complaints with national authorities (AGCM for Italy) and with consumer protection bodies in their country.
• In the UK, contact the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) or local trading standards about potentially unfair commercial practices.
• Keep screenshots and receipts; these are vital when seeking refunds or lodging regulatory complaints.

4) Protect kids: rules and communication

• Create child accounts with spending restrictions; never share passwords or verification codes.
• Talk to younger players about what in‑game purchases do and why some offers are engineered to trigger urgency.
• Limit ‘loot box’ purchases and treat them as discretionary entertainment, not essentials for progression.

How the industry might adapt — realistic scenarios for 2026 and beyond

Publishers won’t simply stop monetising free‑to‑play titles — but the shape of monetisation is likely to shift. Here are the most plausible industry responses in 2026:

• Clearer pricing & currency transparency: Real currency equivalents and single‑click breakdowns become standard across EU app stores.
• Subscription-first models: More publishers will offer subscription passes that remove paywalls and reduce reliance on randomized purchases.
• Opt‑out default protections: Spending dashboards and default monthly caps that players must actively change.
• Design compliance toolkits: UX guidelines from regulators — or from self‑regulatory bodies — that ban certain types of nudges aimed at minors.
• Platform-led policies: Apple and Google may tighten store rules to require disclosure of RNG odds, currency values and age‑based gating.

What to watch next

Follow these signals to know whether the AGCM action becomes a turning point:

• Any formal notices or fines from AGCM against Activision Blizzard (or behavioural remedies imposed).
• Statements from Microsoft/Activision Blizzard committing to UX or pricing changes across titles.
• Replicated investigations by other EU national authorities — regulators often coordinate or follow one another.
• Platform policy updates from Apple and Google regarding in‑app purchases and disclosure.
• Industry moves toward mandatory spending dashboards or age verification standards.

Community perspective — what players and creators should do

Players, creators and community leaders are the most immediate watchdogs of in‑game practices. Practical community actions include:

• Documenting offers and nudges on social channels to create public pressure.
• Pooling reports and evidence to submit to regulators — aggregated complaints carry weight.
• Promoting ethical monetisation via influencer signals: prioritise coverage of titles that disclose prices and avoid manipulative mechanics.

Final verdict: a turning point — but not an overnight fix

The AGCM probe into Activision Blizzard is a significant escalation in the fight for fair mobile monetisation. While it won’t ban microtransactions overnight, it increases the likelihood that publishers must be transparent, limit aggressive nudges (especially those affecting minors), and provide players with concrete spending controls and redress routes.

For UK and EU players, that means a gradual shift toward clearer pricing and stronger consumer protections — but only if you, the community, keep the pressure up by reporting unfair practices, sharing evidence and demanding better defaults. Regulators can open doors; it’s players who walk through them.

Actionable takeaways — do this now

1. Disable saved payment methods and use gift cards or separate prepaid cards for in‑game purchases.
2. Enable platform-level spending caps (Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link) and require approvals for purchases.
3. Document any unclear pricing or aggressive offers (screenshots, timestamps) and consider lodging a complaint with consumer authorities if harmed.
4. Follow our coverage and community groups for updates — we’ll track AGCM developments and platform responses as they happen.

Want us to investigate on your behalf?

We’re monitoring the AGCM case and its ripple effects across the UK and EU. If you’ve experienced unexplained charges, confusing currency bundles, or in‑game mechanics that pressured spending — share the evidence with our team. We’ll anonymise your data and use aggregated reports to push for regulatory action and clearer industry standards.

Stay informed, stay protected, and hold publishers to account. Sign up for our newsletter and join our Discord to receive real‑time updates on the AGCM probe and what it means for the games you care about.

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