Gaming Licensing
GlobalB Law advises game developers, publishers and platform operators on the licensing structures, regulatory authorisations and IP frameworks that underpin a compliant and commercially defensible gaming business.
Bringing a game to market involves layered licensing obligations that touch intellectual property, consumer protection, age-rating compliance and, depending on the game mechanics, gambling regulation. In Türkiye, the BTIK information and communications authority and TAPDK or relevant regulators may require specific approvals for games with monetisation features, loot boxes, or social-casino mechanics. The EU Digital Services Act and individual member-state rules add further layers for games targeting European players.
GlobalB Law advises on the full licensing picture: structuring the IP ownership and licensing chain between developer, publisher and distribution platforms; negotiating platform agreements with console makers and app stores; advising on in-game purchase mechanics and whether they trigger gambling or consumer-protection regulation under Turkish, EU and US law; and ensuring that terms of service and end-user licence agreements (EULAs) are enforceable in each target market.
For studios entering the Turkish market or Turkish developers expanding abroad, we provide the comparative regulatory analysis needed to adapt a game's business model without triggering local licensing requirements, or to obtain the required authorisations efficiently where avoidance is not possible.
What we do
Services in this practice
FAQ
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Are loot boxes regulated in Türkiye, and do they require a special licence?
Turkish law does not yet have a dedicated loot-box regulation, but games featuring loot boxes or random reward mechanics may attract scrutiny under gambling legislation or consumer-protection rules prohibiting unfair commercial practices. We analyse the specific mechanic against current regulatory guidance and monitor ongoing legislative developments.
Does a game EULA need to be different for Turkish players compared to EU or US players?
Yes. Turkish consumer-protection law requires that certain terms, particularly those limiting liability or authorising unilateral amendment, meet local mandatory standards. EU consumer-law requirements differ again, and some US states impose their own rules on digital goods contracts. We draft EULAs with jurisdiction-specific modules rather than a single global document.
How does the developer-publisher licensing structure affect IP ownership if the relationship breaks down?
The default position depends on what the parties agreed: a pure work-for-hire structure vests all IP in the publisher, while a licensing arrangement leaves the developer as IP owner with the publisher holding a (possibly exclusive) licence. Neither is inherently preferable, the right choice depends on each party's leverage, long-term intentions and the economics of the deal. We document whichever structure is agreed in a way that is unambiguous when the relationship is later tested.
What Turkish regulatory approvals does a foreign studio need to launch a game in Türkiye?
Requirements vary by game type and monetisation model. Games with age-rating implications require classification under applicable rules; games with any gambling-adjacent feature require careful analysis. Localisation (Turkish language) is practically required for mass-market titles. We provide a tailored regulatory checklist for each market-entry project.
Loslegen
Termin vereinbaren
Schildern Sie uns Ihr Anliegen, und wir bringen Sie mit dem richtigen Anwalt zusammen.