Linden Labs marketing manager Robin Harper said the company had introduced new rules the outlaw gambling, either as games that rely on chance or in wagering on real-world events.
Because Second Life has users from all over the world, logging in from places with vastly different gambling laws, Ms Harper said Linden Labs would take to conservative would to legal compliance.
“While Linden Lab does not offer an online gambling service, Linden Lab and Second Life Residents must comply with state and federal laws applicable to regulated online gambling, even when both operators and players of the games reside outside of the US,” Ms Harper said in a post on the official Second Life blog.
“And, because there are a variety of conflicting gambling regulations around the world we have chosen to restrict gambling in Second Life as described in a revised policy which is posted in the Knowledge Base under ‘Policy Regarding Wagering in Second Life’, she said.
The gambling ban includes casino type games like blackjack, poker, routlette and poker machines.
The ban has already generated lively discussion on the Second Life chatrooms, with many users unhappy at the encroaching rules.
Linden Labs says adherence with real-world laws have always been a central component of the Second Life terms and conditions for users.
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