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Sport & Gaming

The ultimate loot drop: the Netherlands is planning to ban loot boxes in video games

On 30 June 2022, representatives of six political parties submitted a motion in the lower house of the Dutch parliament demanding a stricter regulation of loot boxes in video games and a possible outright ban. This comes as a response to the recent ruling of the Dutch Council of State rendered on 9 March 2022, putting an end to the four-year 'FIFA Packs' debate by declaring that the loot boxes in FIFA-22 may not be categorized as a game of chance. Given that the Dutch government is actively engaged in curbing online gambling in the country, the ruling did not receive a warm welcome, and the Netherlands is now looking into the possibility of dealing with the issue of loot boxes through legislation instead.
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Sport & gaming

Level Up: A legal guide to the video games industry

Our all-in-one legal guide for those that currently operate in or are considering entering the video games industry with the purpose of providing an overview of the life cycle of a video game
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Media & entertainment

The Metaverse: What are the legal implications?

We explore some of the legal issues including data security and privacy, IP, copyright, and antitrust.

Sport & gaming

Play by Play - The Rise of eSports

This article provides an introduction to the world of esports, the key stakeholders involved and some of the challenges facing an industry that is forecast to generate between c. US$1.8 billion and US$3 billion in revenue by 2022.

Sport & gaming

"You can't win anything with kids" - Minor's data in sport – returns and regulations

Over the last two decades, there has been an industry wide acceleration, in sports, towards collecting and processing athlete personal data. At the same time, global sporting events, like the Olympics, highlight the fact that young persons are competing at the highest levels, on a global stage - with an athlete as young as 12 years' old medalling at Tokyo 2020. Furthermore, stakeholders have found increasing financial incentives for active engagement with younger fans and athletes to create loyalty and interest at the earliest stages. This article looks at the use cases and hurdles of using minor's data in sport

Analysis

From the beautiful game to the regulated game: Proposed reform to English club football

The global sports industry is larger than the global film and music industries combined. Recent controversies in the English game sparked a fan-led review of football governance in November 2021. The outcome of this review led to the Government White Paper which proposed the unprecedented establishment of an independent regulator. Plans for the Regulator were further outlined in the King's Speech in November 2023 where the 'Football Governance Bill' was announced. This article evaluates the key regulatory changes proposed by the Bill and the wider impacts of these reforms on the sport.

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Geo-blocking practices for video gaming clearly regarded as restricting competition in the EU

In January 2021, the European Commission fined Valve and five video game publishers EUR 7.8 million for geo-blocking practices. The General Court  has now upheld the EC's characterisation of geo-blocking practices  as being a "by object" restriction of competition violating Article 101(1) TFEU. This article looks at the case and how the court balanced the interplay between IP and competition law.

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The Promise of a Positive Legacy: The FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City Candidates’ Human Rights Plans

The report examines the human rights themes that FIFA outlined, takes a closer look at each city plan, and collects highlights from the plans for accessibility to stakeholders. The report draws attention to the legacy opportunities that the cities envision pursuing as 2026 World Cup hosts. We also pose some important questions for host cities and broader stakeholders to consider. 

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EVENT: 18 April: Navigating cybersecurity and resilience in 2024 (online)

The global trend towards increased cybersecurity and resilience regulation will tighten existing requirements and affect a broader range of businesses than ever before. From updates in SEC and NYDFS cyber requirements, to Singapore’s proposed Cybersecurity Amendment Bill, our global panel will examine developments in the US, APAC, Europe and the Middle East

Time: 08:00 EDT / 13:00 BST / 14:00 CEST / 20:00 HKT

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