Durham Law School Alumnus Leon Y. Xiao has been listed as one of Forbes ’30 under 30’ on the Europe list 2023 thanks to his policy advocacy and research on the regulation of gambling-like products in video games known as loot boxes.
On their 30 under 30 website, Forbes state:
“Leon Xiao started out writing strategy guides for games. Now, as a PhD candidate, he specializes in the study of loot boxes and their impact on the games industry. Xiao's research has impacted governments, policymakers, and regulators, fostering a safer experience for players by getting companies to comply with regulatory laws.”
Xiao’s line of research stems from his LLB dissertation at Durham Law School. He has since been invited by the UK Government to advise the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport on the technical working group on loot boxes and the Video Games Research Framework. His most recent study on Belgian law has been featured in over 50 outlets in 16 different languages (including nearly all major video game media) and received an official response from the Belgian Minister of Justice, who accepted the findings despite their critical nature. His research on cryptocurrency gambling has also been featured in The Times and The Guardian.
Leon is a PhD Fellow at the IT University of Copenhagen. He also holds visiting appointments at Queen Mary University of London (Law); the University of York (Computer Science); and Stanford Law School. He graduated from Durham Law School in 2020 and says about his time at Durham:
“I did the LLB with a Year Abroad programme, which allowed me to study at the National University of Singapore. That exchange opportunity allowed me to explore legal areas (e.g., information technology law) that were not often offered at UK law schools and explore other non-law subject areas (e.g., video game design).”
“Indeed, my year abroad experience kickstarted my interest in loot box regulation. Whilst in the South East Asia region, I also benefited from an internship with the Cambodian Sok Siphana & Associates law firm that was helpfully arranged by Prof Thom Brooks. Back in the UK, I was also supported by the Durham Law School Enhancing Employability fund which helped me to attend mini-pupillages in London.”
Leon researches video game law, particularly the regulation of loot boxes, a quasi-gambling monetisation mechanic in video games. He uses empirical legal research methods and is passionate about open science. Leon's research focuses on empirically assessing the effectiveness of existing legal and industry self-regulatory measures. He believes that by identifying the shortcomings of existing measures in different countries, we can better design regulation globally in the future.
His research has been referenced in the House of Lords; relied upon by the UK, US, EU, Spanish, Belgian, Danish, Australian, and Brazilian Governments; and cited in Californian class action complaints. Game companies and industry self-regulators have also taken direct compliance and remedial actions following his research.
His research has been covered by NPR, NME, and leading video game media, including GamesIndustry.biz, GameSpot, Eurogamer, and Game Developer, amongst others. He was named a Game Changer in 2021 by GamesIndustry.biz; a member of the Future Class 2022 by The Game Awards; and most recently an Under 30 Honoree by Forbes for his policy advocacy.
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