In Germany, Coin Master may be banned. The regulator considers its monetization model dangerous
In Germany, the process of blocking Coin Master slots has begun. The famous satirist attracted the attention of the German authorities to the project and its monetization system.
The host of the evening TV show Neo Magazin Royale Jan Böhmermann (Jan Böhmermann) told about the game in one of the issues. After that, she came to the attention of the Federal Department for Countering Media Harmful to Minors (BPjM).
According to GameStar, the authorities analyzed the methods of earning Coin Master and decided to put it on the “blacklist”. Its monetization model was seen as similar to a casino. The promotion of gambling for children and adolescents is prohibited in Germany. Coin Master is also available to both.
The process of blocking the game is still ongoing. BPjM will assemble a special commission for him. According to the law firm Baker McKenzie, it can include 12 public representatives. Coin Master will be blocked if two-thirds of the commission members vote against the title.
Note: projects from the “black list” cannot be advertised or distributed. Sites that violate the ban may also be punished.
Baker McKenzie specialist Sebastian Schwiddessen is confident that blocking Coin Master will become a precedent case. This can have serious consequences for the local game dev.
Most likely, this will lead to consideration of BPjM and other applications with a similar monetization model and their possible blocking. Despite the fact that a separate decision is made for each such case, BPjM often applies the already proven practice. Therefore, for games with the same monetization, the risk of getting into the blacklist (Germany) is seriously increased.
Baker McKenzie employee
Moreover, after blocking Coin Master, Germany may reconsider its approach to the rating system of games. We are talking about two types of rating: one awarded by the German rating agency USK and one automatically generated in the local version of Google Play. Probably, local regulators will begin to take into account monetization models when issuing a rating, reports Gamesindustry.biz .
Coin Master is a game from the developer Moon Active. The player spins a virtual machine and receives coins and/or resources to build a village or attack another player’s village. For real currency, you can buy a boost of energy needed for scrolling, as well as experience and chests.
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