News & Analysis as of September 13, 2024

Virtual Currency › Video Games

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Virtual Currency (aka Digital Currency or Digital Money) is a type of currency or medium of exchange that is not issued by any government nor guaranteed by a government currency. Despite lacking legal tender status, Virtual Currency is still traded and exchanged in some environments, typically online environments or communities. Bitcoin is the most well-known form of Virtual Currency. less -

CFPB Again Taking on Gaming Industry

Ballard Spahr LLP on 9/5/2024

On August 28, 2024, the CFPB issued a consumer advisory warning that many video games and “virtual worlds” increasingly resemble traditional banking and payment systems that allow the storage and exchange of billions of...more

CFPB Levels Up: Consumer Risks in Gaming Draws Regulatory Scrutiny

Husch Blackwell LLP on 4/18/2024

If you thought virtual reality was free from real-world regulations, think again. On April 4, 2024, the CFPB released an Issue Spotlight that dives deeply into a realm the agency had not previously traversed—video games and...more

Wiley Consumer Protection Download (April 16, 2024)

Wiley Rein LLP on 4/17/2024

Welcome to Wiley’s update on recent developments and what’s next in consumer protection at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In this newsletter, we analyze recent regulatory...more

Video Game NFTs: Top Legal Considerations for Developers

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati on 2/11/2022

The qualities of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), including digital scarcity, immutable persistence, and transferability on a blockchain, make NFTs an attractive technology to integrate into video games. NFTs have been implemented...more

Mobile App Platform Entitled to CDA Immunity over State Law Claims Related to In-App Purchases of Loot Boxes

Proskauer - New Media & Technology on 3/18/2021

Happy Silver Anniversary to Section 230 of Communications Decency Act (“CDA” or “Section 230”), which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in February 1996. At that time, Congress enacted CDA Section 230 in response...more

Proposed Washington Gambling Law Changes Aimed at Keeping State Video Gaming Industry Around

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP on 2/19/2020

In response to the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Kater v. Churchill Downs Inc., Washington State’s legislature is attempting to redefine what constitutes “illegal gambling games” within the meaning of the state’s Recovery of...more

Video Game Industry Responds to Regulation of Pay-To-Win Microtransactions and Loot Boxes

Dickinson Wright on 9/4/2019

Controversy over certain video game features – “microtransactions,” “pay to win” and “loot boxes” – has heated up over the past few months. Because these popular features involve real money and an element of chance, some...more

Impact of New State Remote Sales and Use Tax Laws on Gaming

Carlton Fields on 7/10/2019

This article examines the impact of new state laws that have emerged since the Supreme Court's decision in Wayfair, which would permit the collection of sales and use tax on remote transactions. This article specifically...more

What Game Companies Need to Know About FinCEN’s Updated Guidance on Virtual Currency

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/14/2019

FinCEN has issued updated guidance addressing the use of crypto currency and other convertible virtual currency (CVC). A portion of this guidance addresses the use of CVC in games. The guidance does not establish any new...more

All Bets are On! Gambling and Video Games - How the Evolution of Games Has Led to a Rise in Gambling Concerns

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 9/14/2018

Recently, there has been a frenzy of legal activity with U.S. gambling laws and the number of gambling-related legal issues with video games. U.S. gambling laws have changed more in the past few years than they have in a long...more

Apple Updates Crypto Currency Aspects of App Store Review Guidelines

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 7/13/2018

Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines have been updated to address various aspects of crypto currency. Some of the relevant provisions include the following. One of the provisions relates to prevents an app from including...more

Churchill Downs Seeks En Banc Review of Big Fish Decision

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/16/2018

Churchill Downs has filed a Petition For Rehearing En Banc, seeking to overturn the Ninth Circuit decision in the Big Fish case. As we previously reported, The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court’s...more

Belgium Gaming Commission Loot Box Report – Extends Beyond Game Companies to Licensors and Game Platforms

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/15/2018

We previously reported, that the Belgian Gaming Commission has recommended criminal prosecution against certain game companies due to the allegedly illegal use of loot boxes. This report follows previous reports on findings...more

Legal Issues With Blockchain-Based Crypto Games and Collectibles

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/11/2018

The use of blockchain technology for crypto games and token-based digital collectibles is on the rise. One of the first crypto games of note was CryptoKitties. It may turn out that CryptoKitties becomes to crypto games what...more

Blockchain Digital Assets in Virtual Reality, Video Games and eSports – Ready Lawyer One?

Proskauer - Blockchain and the Law on 3/29/2018

Virtual worlds similar to the OASIS in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film Ready Player One may be closer than we think – and provably scarce, blockchain-based digital assets could provide the leap forward that gets us there....more

Weekly Web Wrap-Up

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/10/2016

Welcome to Sheppard Mullin’s Weekly Web Wrap-Up, a quick list of the past week’s top news in the social media, gaming, and virtual goods and currencies industries curated by Social Media & Games Team. Here are some of the...more

Around the Virtual World: May 13-17, 2013

Pillsbury - Internet & Social Media Law Blog on 5/20/2013

A weekly wrap up of interesting news about virtual worlds, virtual goods and other social media. In This Issue: - What's the Matter With Zynga? - Video game maker drops gun makers, not their guns -...more

Around the Virtual Word: March 25-29, 2013

Pillsbury - Internet & Social Media Law Blog on 4/1/2013

A weekly wrap up of interesting news about virtual worlds, virtual goods and other social media. In This Issue: - RUMOR: Google Is Launching An Augmented Reality Based E-Book Line - Valve Can't Pull Plug...more

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Virtual Currency › Video Games

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