Gambling Control in Second Life

Official Linden Blog » Blog Archive Wagering In Second Life: New Policy «

July 25th, 2007

Posted by Robin Linden

Post

Policy

It is a violation of this policy to wager in games in the Second Life (R) environment operated on Linden Lab servers if such games:

• (1)
• (a) rely on chance or random number generation to determine a winner,
• OR
• (b) rely on the outcome of real-life organized sporting events,
• AND
• (2) provide a payout in
• (a) Linden Dollars,
• OR
• (b) any real-world currency or thing of value.

This includes (but is not limited to), for example, Casino Games such as:

• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Craps
• Faro
• Keno
• Pachinko
• Pai Gow
• Poker
• Roulette
• Sic Bo
• Slot machines

It also includes Sports Books or Sports Betting, including the placing of bets on actual sporting events against a book-maker or through a betting exchange.

Linden Lab will actively enforce this policy. If we discover gambling activities that violate the policy, we will remove all related objects from the inworld environment, may suspend or terminate the accounts of residents involved without refund or payment, and may report any relevant details, including user information, to authorities and financial institutions.

Clear Policy Statement Bans Gambling in Second Life

Virtually Blind - Virtual Law | Legal Issues That Impact Virtual Worlds

by Benjamin Duranske

July 25th, 2007

Article

"Second Life creator Linden Lab posted a policy clarification regarding gambling today, and it?s far more restrictive ? and far more clear ? than anything we?ve seen before. Though the subject of some debate, most commentators agreed that Linden Lab was flirting with trouble under its earlier policy given existing U.S. law. No longer?.." (more)

Could Second Life Be In Serious Trouble? The Risk of Real-Life Legal Consequences for Hosting Virtual Gambling

Findlaw's Writ

By ANITA RAMASASTRY

Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2007

Article

"At the end of 2006, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The statute forbids banks and other entities from processing payments for Internet gambling transactions. It also tasks the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve with issuing regulations to guide financial institutions in identifying and blocking such transactions. UIGEA can be enforced by both federal agencies and state governments, and violations trigger civil remedies and criminal penalties. ......

"Does Second Life's gambling sector violate UIGEA? The creators of Second Life aren't sure. Thus, at their request, FBI agents have been roaming the virtual landscape of Second Life to visit its virtual casinos.

In this column, I'll examine whether UIGEA, in fact, applies to Second Life. Though the law's language is not entirely clear, I believe a good case can be made that Second Life may have a duty, under UIGEA, to prohibit gambling transactions in its community -- as long as its Linden dollars can be converted back into actual U.S. currency....." (more)

Official Linden Blog » Blog Archive Advertising Policy Changes «

http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/04/05/advertising-policy-changes/

Policy change April 5, 2007

"We have recently received an increasing number of questions about simulated casinos in Second Life. Despite reports to the contrary, we know of no law enforcement agency that has opened an investigation into gambling in Second Life.

It has been a basic tenet of Second Life that all Residents are legally responsible for their own activities and for complying with the laws of the local jurisdiction in which they reside. However, given the ambiguities of the issues, **Linden Lab has decided that we will not accept any classified ads, place listings, or event listings that appear to relate to simulated casino activity.**

Linden Lab is committed to keeping Second Life a place of openness and opportunity. We plan to implement features that will enable Residents to optionally confirm aspects of each other's identity, including age and jurisdictions. Hopefully, these features will help Residents as they conform to their own local laws. For our part, we will continue to evaluate these issues, including where appropriate by reaching out to law enforcement, and by working toward solutions that keep our Residents' experiences safe and legal. ke displacement....."(more)

FBI probes Second Life gambling

Second Life/Reuters

Tue Apr 3, 2007 2:04pm PDT

By Adam Reuters

Article

SECOND LIFE, April 3 (Reuters) - The FBI has visited casinos in Second Life at the invitation of Linden Lab, but federal law enforcement officials have not yet taken an official stance on virtual gambling...."(more)