Greek electronic game ban
Encyclopedia
In 2002 the Greek government, ostensibly in an attempt to fight illegal gambling
, passed the ambiguous and controversial law 3037/2002 which effectively banned all electronic game
s in public places. The bill was formulated after a member of the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement
(PASOK) political party
was videotaped in an illegal gambling establishment, resulting in public hysteria
that was fueled by sensationalist
reporting in the press. The bill was declared a law on July 30, 2002.
During a case against some Internet café
owners who allowed their customers to play online chess and other games, a local court in Thessaloniki
declared the law unconstitutional
. More than 300 people were gathered outside the court in support of the Internet café owners.
The European Commission
sent an official letter to the Greek Foreign Ministry
explaining that the law may be in conflict with European legislation. In that case, the European Court of Justice
could take action against Greece.
The law would affect both Greek citizens and foreigners.
On September 24, 2002, government officials published a document in an effort to clarify the controversial articles of the law.
After the European Union
intervention and debates with the Internet café owners, the government passed a new decision (1107414/1491/T. & E. F.), published in the Government Gazette issue 1827, on December 8, 2003. The new law clarifies some articles of 3037/2002 but it still bans video games in Internet cafés and computer software
which deletes or encrypt
s files on hard disk
s of computers owned by Internet cafés.
, as reported by Eleftherotypia
newspaper. Eighty computers were taken by the police as evidence, and three Internet cafe owners were arrested. See http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=508793&lngDtrID=252
On February 10, 2005 the European Commission
referred Greece to the European Court of Justice
over its ban on electronic games. See http://www.europarl.eu.int/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/cm/564/564911/564911en.pdf
The legislation was written in a way that kept software engineers and various computer developers within the law's constraints. In this way the ban has caused some controversy with regards to several companies hoping to remove it. The limitations have yet to be lifted.
The gaming ban still includes internet cafes technically, but it is never enforced.
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, passed the ambiguous and controversial law 3037/2002 which effectively banned all electronic game
Electronic game
An electronic game is a game that employs electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. The most common form of electronic game today is the video game, and for this reason the terms are often mistakenly used synonymously. Other common forms of electronic game include...
s in public places. The bill was formulated after a member of the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
(PASOK) political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
was videotaped in an illegal gambling establishment, resulting in public hysteria
Moral panic
A moral panic is the intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order. According to Stanley Cohen, author of Folk Devils and Moral Panics and credited creator of the term, a moral panic occurs when "[a] condition, episode, person or group of...
that was fueled by sensationalist
Sensationalism
Sensationalism is a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers...
reporting in the press. The bill was declared a law on July 30, 2002.
During a case against some Internet café
Internet cafe
An Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
owners who allowed their customers to play online chess and other games, a local court in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
declared the law unconstitutional
Constitutionality
Constitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
. More than 300 people were gathered outside the court in support of the Internet café owners.
The European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
sent an official letter to the Greek Foreign Ministry
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Greece)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the senior minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, established on 3 April 1833. The current Minister for Foreign Affairs, since 11 November 2011 is the former European Commissioner Stavros Dimas...
explaining that the law may be in conflict with European legislation. In that case, the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
could take action against Greece.
The law would affect both Greek citizens and foreigners.
On September 24, 2002, government officials published a document in an effort to clarify the controversial articles of the law.
After the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
intervention and debates with the Internet café owners, the government passed a new decision (1107414/1491/T. & E. F.), published in the Government Gazette issue 1827, on December 8, 2003. The new law clarifies some articles of 3037/2002 but it still bans video games in Internet cafés and computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
which deletes or encrypt
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
s files on hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
s of computers owned by Internet cafés.
Related events
On January 14, 2004, the Greek police raided Internet cafes in LarissaLarissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, as reported by Eleftherotypia
Eleftherotypia
Eleftherotypia is a daily newspaper published in Athens . It is one of the most widely circulated newspapers in the country. Eleftherotypia also publishes a Sunday edition Kyriakatiki Eleftherotypia . It was first published in 1975. Breaking the trend of Greek press, it was originally owned by its...
newspaper. Eighty computers were taken by the police as evidence, and three Internet cafe owners were arrested. See http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=508793&lngDtrID=252
On February 10, 2005 the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
referred Greece to the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
over its ban on electronic games. See http://www.europarl.eu.int/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/cm/564/564911/564911en.pdf
The legislation was written in a way that kept software engineers and various computer developers within the law's constraints. In this way the ban has caused some controversy with regards to several companies hoping to remove it. The limitations have yet to be lifted.
Impact
One of the immediate effects of the bill was the eradication of the small but long-established arcade videogame market, virtually overnight. All legitimate arcade venues were immediately shut down, along with internet cafes. Although internet cafes soon reopened, arcades that focused on gaming only were directly targeted by the ban, so they remained closed indefinitely. Unable to resume business, most of the old arcade venues turned into internet cafes themselves. Some shut down permanently, giving way to other shops or cafeterias.The gaming ban still includes internet cafes technically, but it is never enforced.
External links
- Information in English:
- http://dan.tobias.name/controversies/greekgames.html
- News in English:
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2238242.stm
- http://news.com.com/2100-1040-956357.html
- http://www.overclockers.com/tips00103/
- http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,57305,00.html
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2357645.stm
- http://www.geeklife.com/article.aspx?articleid=756&CommentCount=4
- http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1106-957487.html
- http://special.reserve.co.uk/news/story.php?id=2104&af=uf170902
- http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-956357.html
- News in Greek:
- http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=403098
- http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=404097
- http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=407029
- http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=414321
- http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=421151
- Official Web Sites:
- Unofficial Web Sites: