A bill is set to be submitted to the State Duma, requiring games to be labeled and users to be authorized by phone number

On the evening of December 11, Anton Gorelkin, a deputy and the deputy chairman of the Information Policy Committee, announced that on December 12, a draft law regulating the Russian gaming industry would be submitted to the State Duma for consideration. App2Top obtained the text of the draft law. In plain language, we explain what it is about.

The proposed draft law can be roughly divided into three parts. The first part concerns mandatory content labeling of games. The second requires user authorization via phone number. The third allows the funding of game development, including from the federal budget.

Labeling

This is the first and most complex part of the document. It sets out a number of requirements for game stores and publishers. The key requirement for both types of businesses is to inform users about game content. This section also includes a block about expert evaluation.

Requirements for Game Stores

The draft law refers to game stores as "video game distribution services." These include any digital platforms where users purchase games, including, as specified in a few places in the document, key-selling services.

Key requirements include:

• informing users about the content of video games — this refers to mandatory new content labeling (according to the description, the same labeling that was previously proposed by APRIORI and preliminarily approved by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development);
• handling Russian user data on servers located in Russia.

If a service does not comply with these rules, it will be prohibited from distributing, selling, and advertising games in the country.

Requirements for Publishers

In the document, a publisher is referred to as a "video game distributor."

If the law comes into force, each publisher will be required, among other things, to:

• censor in-game content in accordance with Russian laws;
• ensure the classification of the video game in accordance with the "On Protecting Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development" law (i.e., provide age labeling, which has existed in Russia since 2012);
• inform users about the specific content of the video game (i.e., provide the content labeling proposed by APRIORI);
• if it is a free-to-play game, publish the payment rules in Russian and ensure the resolution of disputes in Russia;
• store data on Russian users on servers located in Russia.

Expert Evaluation

Publishers themselves apply both mentioned labels. However, if desired, they can "organize an expert evaluation." The purpose of the evaluation is to determine how accurately the labeling is applied.

Almost anyone can request an expert evaluation. It can be initiated by "government bodies, local self-government bodies, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, public associations, citizens on a contractual basis."

Simply put, if a game raises doubts about its labeling from someone, that person can organize an evaluation at their own expense, which the publisher will then have to consider (and which, according to the draft law, they will have the right to contest).

Evaluations are conducted by experts who have received appropriate accreditation.

Experts can be specialists with specific knowledge "in the fields of pedagogy, age psychology, age physiology, psychiatry, cultural studies, art studies, as well as knowledge in the creation and distribution of video games."

Authorization

The draft law proposes requiring Russian user authorization either through a mobile phone number or the State Services portal.

This proposition only pertains to games that have an authorization function.

Support

This is the strangest part of the document (its "carrot" part), which stipulates that government bodies (including local self-government) will be able, when the draft law comes into effect, to:

• ensure full funding of development;
• provide tax incentives to game developers;
• offer financial support from both federal and local budgets.

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According to Gorelkin, the law is "the result of a large collective effort — both the Ministry and deputies were involved."

Besides Gorelkin, the authors include:

• Anton Nemkin — a deputy and federal coordinator of the "Digital Russia" project;
• Yana Lantratova — a deputy and first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Education;
• Lilia Gumerova — a senator and chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education, and Culture;
• Artem Sheikin — a senator and first deputy chairman of the Constitutional Legislation and State Building Committee of the Federation Council;
• Natalya Kuvshinova — a senator.

Judging by the initial reactions of industry participants, neither gaming associations nor gaming businesses were involved in the work/discussion of the draft law.