FBI probes Second Life for illegal gambling

Washington (DC) - The FBI has logged on to the popular online game Second Life, as it raises complex legal questions about the responsibility for in-game gambling.

Last year, Congress passed a law targeting the illegality of online casinos in the US. Since Second Life’s currency, Linden dollars, can be purchased with actual money, gambling in the game likely falls under the statute.

However, the question is whether or not the game’s creator, Linden Lab, is responsible for the gambling brought on by individual users.

"We have invited the FBI several times to take a look around in Second Life and raise any concerns they would like, and we know of at least one instance that federal agents did look around in a virtual casino," said Linden Lab general counsel Ginsu Yoon in a News.com story.

Linden Lab requires users to agree to an end-user license agreement (EULA) that asks them to restrain from "illegal activities" in the game.

"It’s not always clear to us whether a 3D simulation of a casino is the same thing as a casino, legally speaking, and it’s not clear to the law enforcement authorities we have asked," said Yoon.