Experts from the FSUE General Radio Frequency Centre scientific and technical center (subordinate to Roskomnadzor) conducted a study on the eSports and gaming industry. The experts drew attention to the need to introduce regulation of the industry, since the risks of legal uncertainty in video gaming in Russia remain high.

According to the authors of the document, the owners of gaming platforms should be obliged to store in Russia information about the transmission of messages and images and information about users and the content of messages, including video and audio.

Similar requirements under the Yarovaya Law have been in effect since 2018 for telecom operators and information dissemination organizers - forums, instant messengers, social networks and dating services.

Moreover, the General Radio Frequency Centre experts believe that in the “context of preventing economic threats”, it is necessary to establish the legal status of game currency, loot boxes (paid virtual containers with random content), streaming platforms and donations (rewards from users).

Nowadays, only China and South Korea have experience in regulating the gaming industry, the General Radio Frequency Centre experts say.

Research study in Russian: “Risks and threats associated with the development of the eSports and gaming industry”

Original (in Russian)