Supreme Commander & Irish internet laws

Polar Ice

If any of you are familiar with the game Supreme Commander you might know about the tournament that they are running this weekend with a prize fund of $5000.

I was reading through the rules for the competition just to see how the thing was going to be run (I couldn't win anything because my rating puts me at the bottom on my category), however I noticed that Ireland isn't on the list of countries that they allow people to play from.

I spoke to two of the "admins" for GPG (the company that is running the competition and who made the game) who gave me very vague and delayed answers basically saying that if your country isn't on the list it is because there are laws in that country that don't allow you to win money in online tournaments.

I'm wondering if any of you would know of any Irish laws that would prohibit people in Ireland from receiving money from winning an online tournament (eg: is online gambling allowed - even though this isn't gambling)

Maximilian

I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't be legal here. I suspect the real reason is cost. I assume they engage lawyers to give them opinions on what jurisdictions these competitions are legal in & Ireland probably didn't warrant the expense given its size.

Under the Gaming & Lotteries Act 1956 the definition of gaming would seemingly include video games but as long as its not "gambling", its not illegal.

Casinos incidentally are illegal but they side-step the prohibition by being "private member's clubs" which are subject to different rules.

Ivan

As far as I am aware, World of Warcraft/Blizzards Arena competition/tournaments had a clause in it that prohibited people from sweden and Ireland (among others) from competing also, for this very same reason.

I believe its down to those very same laws that prevent/prohibit online gambling that prevent online gaming...

Sephiroth_dude

Sucks That irish people cant enter it ,my brother was gonna enter it...guess he wont be now

Ivan

From what I understand it, its a case of;

"anything that requires you to subscribe in order to compete in the contest, is illegal"

dont ask me why, but thats what I was told was the reason behind the issue with the Arena tournaments.

TheDoc

ive won substantial amounts of money through warcraft 3 tournaments.....

nothing was said to me....

Cunny-Funt

Maybe is a case of "We covered Ireland by saying UK". It's happened many a time before..:mad: