Russian Video Game Industry Opposes User Identification via Gosuslugi

The Autonomous Nonprofit Organization “Video Game Industry Development Organization” (VGIDO) has submitted objections to the State Duma’s Information Policy Committee regarding proposed regulations for the video game industry. In particular, the organization opposes the introduction of mandatory user identification for video games and the requirement for content review of gaming products.

The objections concern a bill recently introduced to parliament. According to a letter from VGIDO, which was reviewed by Kommersant, the proposed amendments contradict presidential decrees by Vladimir Putin supporting the industry, as well as the collaborative work already conducted by the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade with industry stakeholders.

Sergey Boyarsky, who recently replaced Alexander Khinshtein as head of the State Duma’s IT Committee, stated that the committee has not yet received the appeal, but is “ready for dialogue with all interested market participants.”

The draft law No. 795581-8 “On the Development and Distribution of Video Games in the Russian Federation,” submitted by a group of deputies and senators, proposes a number of requirements for video game distributors (publishers) and the organizers of distribution platforms. For example, the bill would require digital platforms to inform users about the content of video games, and publishers to identify players using their mobile phone numbers or through the Gosuslugi government portal. Industry participants have called the bill excessive and pointed out that Russia is already running a voluntary video game labeling experiment.

“The bill was prepared to fulfill the president’s directive from January 27, 2022, aimed at ensuring the psychological safety of citizens from the negative effects of video games,” VGIDO notes. However, the letter states that the Russian video game industry, which was once among the world’s strongest and fastest-growing with export revenues of about $2–3 billion, is now far from that level. The bill itself does not propose any concrete support measures for the industry.

The letter’s authors also question the proposed user identification through Gosuslugi, arguing that it would restrict Russian developers’ ability to operate on foreign platforms. They also oppose mandatory video game labeling and content review. VGIDO hopes to join the work on the bill “if its withdrawal is not possible.”

According to a source in the video game market cited by Kommersant, the bill is unlikely to be adopted by the end of the year: “There are several reasons for this. It has not gone through the official approval process with federal executive authorities or public discussion. Currently, industry associations are holding closed discussions with the government, the presidential administration, and the State Duma.”

Meanwhile, a working group under the Ministry of Digital Development (created to fulfill the president’s directive) has prepared a different act, which, unlike the bill, has been developed in cooperation with both the industry and authorities.

“A possible compromise scenario is that some provisions will be included after refining the clearly ‘raw’ parts of the bill, while others will be implemented through a government decree and tested in an experimental format,” the source suggested.