The Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) has stepped in to challenge an 'industry-first' service that directly facilitates real-money item trading within a game. The GRAC suspects the service may violate the Game Industry Promotion Act and has requested corrective action from the operator while launching a fact-finding investigation.

On the 5th, the item trading platform itemmani@ (operated by IMI) announced it had launched an 'in-game item trading integration service' in partnership with Leport Games' MMORPG, 'Lasallass.' The service features an API integration between the Lasallass in-game trading system and the itemmani@ platform, creating a unified process that handles everything from sales registration to post-transaction item transfers.

Lasallass users can automatically register items for sale on itemmani@ simply by entering the item details, quantity, and price in the game's trading menu. Once registered, the items are reflected on the itemmani@ platform, and upon purchase, the system automatically processes the item transfer based on the integrated data between the two companies.

The issue lies in the fact that this structure differs from traditional real-money trading. Article 32, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 7 of the current Game Industry Promotion Act prohibits the 'exchange, brokerage of exchange, or professional repurchasing' of tangible or intangible results acquired through games, such as game money. While individual user-to-user transactions are not punishable under current legal precedents—allowing item brokerage platforms to operate in a gray area—a new legal dispute arises when a game company directly integrates and supports such transactions within its own system, as this could constitute 'brokerage of exchange.'

The GRAC has also determined that there is potential for a violation. The committee stated that if the service provides direct real-money trading within the game, it may violate Article 32, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 7 (prohibition of exchange or brokerage of exchange) or Article 28, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 3 (prohibition of promoting gambling through prizes) of the Game Industry Promotion Act.

A procedural violation was also identified. Under the Game Industry Promotion Act, operators must report any changes to the content of a game that has already received a content rating. However, Lasallass failed to file a report regarding this new service. A GRAC official stated, "We have confirmed that no report regarding content changes for this service has been filed to date," adding, "The committee issued a request for corrective action to the operator on the 9th regarding the failure to report these changes in accordance with relevant regulations."

Meanwhile, Lassalas is a game that was reclassified as 'Adults Only' in November 2023 after an in-game market system using paid currency was identified. By attempting to integrate directly with an external cash-trading platform, the game has taken its market-based 'Adults Only' status a step further.

An official from the Game Rating and Administration Committee stated, "Regarding the integration of in-game items with an external platform, we plan to thoroughly review the specific service structure and transaction methods once a report on content modification is submitted to determine whether any relevant laws or regulations have been violated. We will take necessary measures in accordance with the relevant regulations after verifying the facts."