There’s a lot going on in the latest Heroes of the Storm patch, but mostly the fact that you can’t use actual monies to buy loot chests anymore.
The 18 March patch notes include the brief entry: “Loot chests are no longer available for Gem purchase” and, for anyone unfamiliar with the the MOBA’s various currency options, Gems are the only type of currency you can purchase with real-world money. Rare loot chests, however, can now be purchased for 3000 Gold, which you earn by playing the game.
Loot chests contain random items, so you don’t know what you’re getting, which is a little too close to gambling for some, prompting all manner of investigations. The ability to purchase loot chests with real money had already been removed, by Blizzard, for HoS players in Belgium last year, to accommodate local gambling laws, so it seems they’ve rolled it out to the rest of the world just in case.
You’ll still be able to spend your Gems on heroes, experience boosts, and cosmetics. You can also still earn loot chests by levelling up or reaching specific milestones. Go spend your hard-earned cash on more important things, like a UPS.