internet business legal-terms
Is it legal to sell game items for real money?
<p>Me and my friends play WoW, LoL etc(online games)..</p>

<p>Is it legal to sell in-game items for real money? I know it's a small case and probably won't be chased after but in terms of law, is it perfectly legal?</p>

<p>In the games terms and conditions it states that it will result in a ban of the account. Can game developers sue me for providing the service or is the ban of the account their limit?</p>

<p>The answer to this question would also heavily depend on which country the transaction is occurring.</p>

<p>Supreme court of South Korea ruled in July 2009 that <a href="http://www.adweek.com/digital/south-korea-rules-virtual-currency-on-par-with-real-money/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">exchanging virtual currency for real world currency is legal</a>, even though doing so was against the game's terms of service. Consequently, players cannot be held legally liable for trading their virtual currency into real money if the game is being serviced in South Korea. This however, does not mean the company cannot suspend your account for doing so. Likely, other countries have different laws about this type of transaction, which you should look into.</p>

<p>Source: <a href="https://wiclaw.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/ebb680ec82b0eca780ebb295-2009-eb85b8-99ecb694eab0801.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Official ruling of the case (in Korean)</a></p>

<p>Not a lawyer and not a heavily researched answer.</p>

<p>You do not own the game, rather, you own a license to use the game software. The license will specify the ways in which they allow you to use the software, and they will typically reserve all other rights. This most likely includes the right to profit from game in any way. Your selling of in-game items would, in that case, be a violation of the license and they would have recourse according to the license and/or the law.</p>

<p>If they can show you profited from their property, they are probably entitled to compensation. There may also be relevant statutory damages for violation of the license, although I am less sure about that. I am way out on a limb here but by violating the license terms you might be engaging in copyright violation (since you are only authorized to have and use the copy if you abide by the terms) and therefore you might be on the hook that way; see e.g. <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/504" rel="nofollow">https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/504</a> for an idea of what you might be looking at if they decide it's worth their effort to pursue.</p>

<p>It depends on the user agreement of the game. </p>

<p>For example, in league, you may not sell your account and trading (e.g through mutual gifting of skins) is forbidden iirc. </p>

<p>In WoW, Dota and CSGO you are allowed to market in game items. </p>

<p>It 100% depends on the EULA of the game. </p>
