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Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

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Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#51

Post by blooalien »

ryandrake wrote: post #42
exac wrote: post #4

It seems to be a recurring case with app review processes that Apple and Google only review your app, and won't allow comparisons to be made to other apps. From a game theory perspective, perhaps this makes sense, as any bargaining power that a successful app might have to come to a special agreement with Apple/Google is diminished if their app isn't in compliance.

If you get pulled over for speeding, you won't convince the judge with "Well, other cars were also speeding."

Actually, in some cases / places, you absolutely can get away with that defense if you weren't being too far over the speed limit, and can be convincing enough about your assertion that you were simply "keeping up with the normal flow of traffic".

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#52

Post by mcpackieh »

jermaustin1 wrote: post #8
autokad wrote: post #2

>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 d…

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.

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)

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#53

Post by charlieyu1 »

harrisonjackson wrote: post #38

One of least effective ways to argue your case is by pointing to other apps that have the same violations. I say that having submitted 50+ apps across various categories and dealing with thousands of app review exchanges to get them released. You can find apps that violate all sorts of guidelines and laws and it is super frustrating when yours gets blocked but it is part of the business. Did they slip by a reviewer t…

On the other hand, it is the most effective to bring public awareness to a bullshit policy.

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#54

Post by rvnx »

stronglikedan wrote: post #34
paulddraper wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> arguing about it publicly isn't going to change much Okay fair enough. What is going to change much?

The only answer is, likely nothing. There's likely nothing you or anyone else can do to get the governments of those countries to change anything about the way they govern. It's not a tree worth barking up.

Well, there is a solution, but it's unpopular, so it may negatively impact company valuation.

Lobbying government of US, to send them "democracy".

Or hire PMCs (Alphabet has 113B USD in cash).

Or push news and content that is against the local government (but this is half-joke).

So it's possible if you really want.

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#55

Post by graypegg »

sneak wrote: post #40
cmdli wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably changing the laws in those countries, which only the citizens of those countries can really do. Google isn't the cause here, just the middleman.

This, I believe, is called the "just following orders defense". It was attempted most famously in Nürnberg in '46. It didn't work then, and it shouldn't work now. See also: Project Dragonfly

Please remember the context here, we’re talking about a game on the App Store that has a slot machine mechanic.

Many places have similar small variances in obscenity they allow to be published. Your country might forbid nudity on TV, or disallow gambling businesses in public spaces.

I’d say WW2 featured significantly more serious issues.

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#57

Post by zuminator »

rvnx wrote: post #11
jermaustin1 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

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?)

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#58

Post by kroltan »

OtherShrezzing wrote: post #36
jermaustin1 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

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.

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#59

Post by paxys »

The game is literally a virtual slot machine. The fact that it doesn't have real money involved doesn't make it legal in all those countries with restrictive gambling laws. And it's bizarre to bring up other games like Jetpack Joyride in your claim when they primarily have non-gambling mechanics and yours doesn't.

Re: Luck be a Landlord is now banned in 13 countries on the Google Play Store

#60

Post by sneak »

graypegg wrote: post #55
sneak wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This, I believe, is called the "just following orders defense". It was attempted most famously in Nürnberg in '46. It didn't work then, and it shouldn't work now. See also: Project Dragonfly

Please remember the context here, we’re talking about a game on the App Store that has a slot machine mechanic. Many places have similar small variances in obscenity they allow to be published. Your country might forbid nudity on TV, or disallow gambling businesses in public spaces. I’d say WW2 featured significantly more serious issues.

We're talking about mass censorship of artistic output for which there is widespread international consensus (basically all of the global west) around being both harmless and protected. The app in question very clearly does not allow gambling! The fact that the app depicts a slot machine is a red herring.

Such censorship is being carried out against millions of humans, by one of the few organizations on the planet large enough and resourced enough to take principled stands against same.

Google actually left China for this reason specifically. The correct answer by the same organization in question is not without precedent.

This is not a small transgression on Google's part.

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