Brief description of possible risk: what if an innocent mobile game containing elements of luck and profit will be considered as a gambling game?

1. Gambling and Non-gambling
on Mobile
Problems of Separation and
Legal Consequences
Vladislav Arkhipov
Of Counsel, Ph. D. *
8 February 2014
Winter Nights Mobile Games Conference
St. Petersburg
* Ph. D. in Law: Vladislav Arkhipov is an associate professor at
Saint Petersburg State University

2. State Awareness
exponential regulatory
growth
2011-2013
We can
block IP!
Today
Oh, there
are games
too!
2006-2011
There is
Internet!
1993-2006
What?
© BeTa-Artworks - Fotolia.com
protection of youth / public
morality
8 February 2014
2

3. Proper Understanding
GAMES
GAMBLING
fun
profit
socializing
creativity
exploration
luck
some other…
© Dario Lo Presti - Fotolia.com
8 February 2014
3

4. Formal Definition
Gambling – risk-based agreement about prize, made by
two or more participants between themselves or with an
organizer of a gambling game under the rules provided
by such organizer.
© Ivelin Radkov - Fotolia.com
Item 1 Article 4 of the Gambling Law
8 February 2014
4

5. Property Right
tricky issue
O RLY?
Prize – money or other property including property
rights, which shall be transferred to a participant of
gambling when the result of gambling set forth in
the rules happens.
Item 4 Article 4 of the Gambling Law
limited license
(that’s how a user formally has access to the content)
is a property right!
© Eric Isselée - Fotolia.com
8 February 2014
5

6. Therefore – Risk Factors
© wongstock - Fotolia.com
random
numbers
virtual
currency
© moneyrender - Fotolia.com
© Lasha Kilasonia - Fotolia.com
cash-in /
cash-out
8 February 2014
© 123dartist - Fotolia.com
content
unlocks
6

7. Internet Gambling
Activity for organization and conduction of gambling
games with the use of information/telecommunication
networks, in particular the Internet, as well as means
of communication, including mobile communications,
IS PROHIBITED.
© creative soul - Fotolia.com
Item 3 Article 5 of the Gambling Law
8 February 2014
7

8. The Worst Scenario
CEO
convicted
IP
blocked
hardware
seized
company
fined
8 February 2014
© corund - Fotolia.com
app
removed
8

9. Be Mindful
track gambling legislation
monitor political crusades
© tanatat - Fotolia.com
and if you include gambling elements in your game –
K N O W W H AT Y O U A R E D O I N G
8 February 2014
9

10. Thank you!
Vladislav Arkhipov
Of Counsel
IP / IT/ Telecommunications Practice
T:
+7 812 325 84 44
F:
+7 812 325 84 54
E:
vladislav.arkhipov@dentons.com
Join me in social networks!
Dentons
Northern Capital House
36 Moika Embankment
191186, St. Petersburg
Russian Federation
www.dentons.com
Facebook: vladislav.arkhipov.5
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/vladislavarkhipov/14/968/805
VK: vladislav.arkhipov
Twitter: gameponder
www.gameponder.blogspot.com

11. World map
CIS focus
St. Petersburg
Moscow
Edmonton
Vancouver
Calgary
Montreal
Ottawa
Chicago
Boston
New York
Toronto
Kansas City
Short Hills
Silicon Valley
St. Louis
Washington, DC
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Phoenix
Dallas
New Orleans
Astana
Kiev
St. Petersburg
Moscow
Berlin Warsaw
Milton Keynes
London Brussels
Prague
Bratislava Kiev
Astana
Paris Frankfurt
Budapest
Rostov on Don
Almaty
Krasnodar
Zurich
Bucharest
Tashkent
Barcelona
Tbilisi
Istanbul
Ashgabat
Madrid
Rostov on Don
Krasnodar
Beijing
Baku
Baku
Beirut
Atlanta
Algiers
Casablanca
Miami
Shanghai
Amman
Tripoli
Cairo
Doha
Riyadh
Abu Dhabi
Noukachott
Dubai
Muscat
Hong Kong
Praia
Bissau
Lagos
Kamapala
Accra
Key
São Tomé
Kigali
Bujumbura
Dar es Salam
Luanda
Offices, associate offices x and facilities*
Associate firms and special alliances*
Nairobi
Lusaka
Port Louis
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Maputo
Almaty
Tashkent
Ashgabat
Singapore