Internet Gambling and the MMORPG
There is an issue on the horizon of internet gambling that stands to redefine the definition of internet gambling in many serious ways. However, in order to understand where the problems lie, an understanding of the MMORPG is necessary. As most people in the legal profession have no idea what an MMORPG is, much less how it works, the game system will be described in full, followed by an explanation of their potential for gambling and why these virtual casinos have a true real-world relevance but also defy proposed internet gambling regulations as they truly fall more into the grey area between the realm of internet gaming and the realm of internet gambling.
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The MMORPG has blurred the line between pure entertainment and entertainment for profit. With the proliferation of eBay and other electronic auction sites, ways to profit have begun to dramatically change. In the case of the MMORPG, an entire external economy has emerged outside the game. This is an unregulated and rapidly expanding economy. Just as understanding the game itself was key to seeing the problem, a thorough understanding of these eBay economies is necessary to truly understand the scope and potential for problems, as well as ways to potentially regulate this emerging industry.
Internet Gambling and the MMORPG