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Comment by autokad | Hacker News Reader

>Today I received an email from Google Play Support stating that Luck be a Landlord has been geo-blocked in the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Iran, Jordan, South Korea, Libya, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen.

>According to Google, the app "contains content that doesn't comply with the Gambling policy."

> It should go without saying that I 100% disagree with this decision. Luck be a Landlord does not violate any gambling policy that Google has in their terms of service.

I don't think its saying it violates google's gambling policy, it violates the gambling policy of those countries

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> it violates the gambling policy of those countries

FYI for future reference, countries' policies are more commonly referred to as "Laws."

I love it when people are simultaneously needlessly condescending and also wrong.

who, me or paul?

Anyone might be wrong, and so you might be ready to hear in what way you were wrong, but one thing you were not at all was condescending.

It was Paul if you ask me, even without the deduction.

I was condescending.

But I wasn't wrong, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm not an expert but as I understand it, laws are a component of policy. By at least one definition policy broadly encompasses how those laws are implemented, and enforced, as well as regulations that aren't technically part of legal code.

It's a nitpicky distinction, but an important one, and one I wouldn't have even been concerned about had you not taken the Very Smart tone.

What is on the books, as a criminal or civil violation, and what are the policies of the local gaming commission, as well as what's actually enforced on the ground, mean that laws differ from policy. It sounds like Google may be complying where they're not legally required to or wouldn't face fines for.

But the game is just a game, there is no gambling. You don't pay money or get money... well you buy the game, but the slot machine aspect is a game mechanic, the same as an RPG will have a dice roll in the background and check against your stats and buffs.

"Apps that simulate gambling, or games of chance or skill that are conducive to gambling are prohibited in the above locales"

Luck be a Landlord seems to be a harmless Slot Simulator with RPG elements.

It's harmless.

Or, seen from the legislators from these countries; is it harmless ? Or is it the beginning of a gambling addiction ?

From my perspective I'd like this app to be available everywhere, but it seems to be more a political issue than a policy issue directly.

Usually game developers hide such mechanics under bonus stages or lootboxes from what I've seen.

It's not a question of whether or not it's harmless. It seems to me that it plainly violates the "apps that simulate gambling" clause. It looks and plays like a slot machine. That's different from Jetpack Joyride, which is a side scroller that has a brief slot-machine element that's not really central to the gameplay. Almost all video games have random elements but they're not gambling themed. I'm not Muslim but my understanding is that the Qur'an views gambling with the same level of condemnation as it views consumption of alcohol. Games with nudity/sexual content, homosexual characters, alcohol, gambling, etc., are (unfortunately in my opinion) banned in multiple Islamic nations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games_by_...

As long as we're on the subject, the Google Play storefront of this app is very much lacking in any reason why someone should want to plunk down US$5 for it. Maybe an embed of the release video? For that matter the release video itself could benefit from having a voiceover that explains a little of what's going on and makes it sound fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcbKTeJ6uXU

(Parenthetically I was surprised to just now find out that this game was in my Steam library. Was it in a Humble Bundle at some point?)

In strict implementations of Islam, the forbidden practice is "games of chance", rather than "financial betting", so a virtual slot-machine (or even a real slot machine that doesn't accept coins) is forbidden in the same way a real slot machine is.

Are MMORPGs banned in islamic countries?

They also offer variable rewards with apparent (virtual) value given the same input.

Or do the policymakers care mainly about how the chance is presented?

I am aware that you are probably not directly involved with whatever ratings board is relevant, and probably can't respond authoritatively, but if you could indulge my idle curiosity it would be really cool.

I think its roughly the same with MPAA rating system when it steps into "adult themes", etc. A movie can show all the same scenes and still not be rated the same because they can be framed as tangential or they can have the main role model dependent on a casino for income, needing alcohol like Popeye needs spinach and saying their calling in life is the perfect one night stand.

Simulated slot machines aren't appropriate in games marketed/sold to children. They're on the same level of inappropriate sleaze as "candy cigarettes" (which you may not have heard of before, because they're rightly banned in many countries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cigarette#Sales_laws)

The issue is that other apps with similar (or outright copied) functionality are allowed in those countries.

The problem is with Google's inconsistent appeals process, not with the laws of those countries.

Well maybe Google got specific complaints about this app. It's actually better that they only ban some not all, isn't it?

Wouldn't it be better if they didn't arbitrarily, selectively, and capriciously apply their policies?

I'd say no, actually

Curious what would happen if he would create a bot that let people play that game on Kick ?

Would be good promotion for the Steam game too.

I wonder if the word 'Luck' in the title is what is causing all the ruckus.

Could be some arbitrary guideline not documented that reviewers have to follow for certain countries. Who knows?

The problem is absolutely the laws of those countries. Arguing "but you allow X" will just get X also banned, not make them see the light that the law is unjust.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trampoline...

> Luck be a Landlord is a roguelike deckbuilder about using a slot machine to earn rent money and defeat capitalism. This game does not contain any real-world currency gambling or microtransactions.

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