Coin Master

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coin Master
Studio Moon Active
Publisher Moon Active
Erstveröffent-
lichung		 2015
platform Android , iOS
medium Download
language multilingual
Age rating
USK approved from 16
information Origin USK classification without age restriction via IARC , raised in June 2019 after personal examination

Coin Master is an online game that has been available since 2015 and can be played as an app on smartphones . There is criticism of introducing children and young people to gambling in a targeted manner.

Gameplay

The aim of the game is to build and maintain a virtual village. There are at least 264 levels . One level represents an arcade . Investments in the virtual village are financed by virtual money, so-called "coins". You can win new coins through a simulated one-armed bandit , for whom five attempts are available per hour. The user can purchase additional attempts by paying real money via the app. Purchases of virtual animal feed for the village are also subject to a charge.

The visual appearance of the game is aimed at children. Animal figures and game elements are cute and colorful. The game, which was originally available without an age rating, was released after criticism in the iOS App Store for users from 17 years of age, in the Google Play Store for users from 16 years of age, but in the Amazon Appstore still from 0 years of age. Related games are also still approved for ages 0 and up. The game has been downloaded over 50 million times worldwide.

developer

Coin Master is the only app from the Israeli provider Moon Active. The former boss of the online casino operator 888 Holdings , Gigi Levy-Weiss, the founder of the sports betting platform bwin , Norbert Teufelberger , and a company founded by Evan Hoff that invests in gaming machines are or were financially involved . According to Moon Active, these individuals collectively own less than 15% of the shares. Teufelberger invested in a company that held shares in the manufacturer of Coin Master until 2017 .

Coin Master has been on the market since 2015. According to SensorTower, the game is said to have generated monthly sales of US $ 11 million worldwide in early 2019.

advertising

The web video producers and influencers Bianca Claßen ( BibisBeautyPalace ) and Simon Desue , but also Daniela Katzenberger , Dieter Bohlen and Pietro Lombardi , were hired to advertise online videos, clips and songs. The cooperation with Claßen was discontinued after criticism because of its supposedly young target group. The game is also promoted abroad with influencers and TV personalities, for example with Jianhao Tan in Singapore and with Charlotte Crosby in the United Kingdom .

criticism

The British gaming website Pocket Gamer named Coin Master a slot machine disguised as a game in February 2018.

In July 2019, the Saarländischer Rundfunk criticized the game principle of Coin Master in a report , and a few weeks later another critical article appeared on OMR.com . The child-friendly look especially seduces children to play. The use of a virtual one-armed bandit is ultimately a game of chance instead of a strategy game . The manufacturer thus generates high revenues with an addicting game concept and introduces children to gambling.

The State Agency for Media North Rhine-Westphalia warned against the game in August 2019 and criticized the advertising aimed at children and young people, but not the game itself. Jörg Schieb criticized the fact that children were “trimmed to gamble” with the game, and they were from the State Agency for Media North Rhine-Westphalia would not be protected from this. In the following months, Der Spiegel first reported , then several games portals, but also numerous other regional and national media about the game and followed this criticism. Also look at the parenting guide! deals with the mobile phone game and noted that youth advocates see it as a " gateway drug to gambling".

On October 10, 2019, Jan Böhmermann devoted himself to the game in Neo Magazin Royale and directed his criticism not only to the advertising influencers, but also to the game concept and the gambling financiers behind Moon Active. Böhmermann also pointed out that Coin Master was not declared as a game of chance, although it showed clear features of such a game. This becomes visible, among other things, in the fact that the highest gaming level is a virtual arcade. In his article, Böhmermann quotes several times from statements by the Bremen gambling researcher Tobias Hayer. So-called “simulated gambling” does not fall under the Youth Protection Act , which is why the game was originally rated at USK 0. The responsible control authority has not yet checked the game. Böhmermann called on those entitled to apply to submit a test application for the game to the Federal Testing Office for Media Harmful to Young People (BPjM). The following day, the inspection center reported the receipt of numerous applications, and its chairwoman Martina Hannak confirmed that proceedings had been initiated.

Numerous print and online media took up Böhmermann's contribution, including other computer and game portals.

On March 4, 2020, the BPjM decided not to index the game. According to a report from the BPjM on the following day, the 12-member committee saw the fact that gambling was glorified or played down as not fulfilled, which “is due in particular to the fact that the visualization of the slot machines also has elements that differ from real slot machines, the game flow again and again other game activities are interrupted and, in addition to winning coins, other alternatives relevant to the game can be won. ”It could not be assumed with the necessary probability that the game activity caused real-world behavior. The detection of such an effect that is harmful to young people requires "a fundamental expansion of the established and confirmed by jurisprudence practice of the Federal Inspectorate on consumer products with addictive potential to include the fact that gambling is glorified or played down". Dangers emanating from the so-called play facility, such as excessive use and financial damage to minors, were not the subject of the proceedings because the relevant youth protection law currently does not cover such so-called interaction risks.

A procedure initiated by the State Agency for Media NRW in coordination with the Commission for Youth Media Protection against Moon Active was finalized on April 3, 2020. The non-European provider showed a high willingness to cooperate to meet the German youth protection requirements. A double age confirmation is now required within Coin Master and an explicit reference to the optional deactivation of in-app purchases is displayed. In addition, the marketing strategy used by "influencers like Daniela Katzenberger, Bibis Beauty Palace and Dieter Bohlen" has been discontinued for Germany. According to the State Media Authority in North Rhine-Westphalia, this makes it clear that the offer is not aimed at children.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Max Doll: Gambling in games: Apps offer children legal access to slot machines. In: www.computerbase.de . October 11, 2019, accessed October 15, 2019 .
  2. ↑ After Böhmermann's appeal: Federal inspection body checks indexing of Coin Master , gameswirtschaft.de, October 14, 2019.
  3. ↑ blog.fsf.de : Simulated gambling - the status of things from October 25, 2019, accessed on May 18, 2020
  4. ↑ a b Jörg Schieb: Coin Master: Rip off children in colorful. wdr.de , August 23, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  5. ↑ a b Coin Master gaming app: How children end up in the game money trap. In: Spiegel Online . August 9, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  6. ↑ a b c Böhmermann takes on the gambling-like app "Coin Master". In: derStandard.de . October 11, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  7. ↑ a b Jan Böhmermann warns of the "Coin Master" app. Business Punk , October 11, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  8. ↑ a b Ralf Nowotny: Indexing procedure for the “Coin Master” app initiated. In: mimika.at. August 16, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  9. ↑ a b Enno Park: According to the Böhmermann report: Indexing proceedings against the smartphone game Coin Master. t3n , October 16, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  10. ↑ a b c d Coin Master - this is how you get rich or poor. In: ZDF.de. Neo Magazin Royale , October 10, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Magdalena Markovic: Jan Böhmermann exposes “Coin Master” as a gambling app. In: kleine zeitung.at . October 14, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  12. ↑ Sophie Jordan: Böhmermann versus mobile game: Coin Master could be indexed. In: giga.de . October 15, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  13. ↑ Denny Fischer: Coin Master: Questionable C-celebrity home with 50 million downloads. In: smartdroid.de. July 26, 2019, accessed October 17, 2019 .
  14. ^ A b Sabine Löwenberger: After Böhmermann criticism: indexing procedure for mobile app Coin Master initiated. In: casinoonline.de. August 15, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  15. ^ A b Mathias Ottmann: This contribution by Jan Böhmermann concerns everyone who has children. GQ Magazin , October 11, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  16. ↑ a b Maurice Weber: Böhmermann did it: indexing process for mobile game Coin Master started. In: Gamestar . October 14, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  17. ↑ a b c d Gustav Theile: Does this app make children addicted to gambling? In: faz.net. October 25, 2019, accessed October 26, 2019 .
  18. ↑ a b Henning Bulka: Criticism of smartphone games for children: Jan Böhmermann attacks “Coin Master” - that's what the manufacturer says about the allegations. In: rp-online.de. October 25, 2019, accessed October 26, 2019 .
  19. ↑ a b c Janina Kröger: Coin-Master-App under criticism - Is it a gateway drug for gambling? In: pcspezialist.de. August 16, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 . ( epd / dpa )
  20. ↑ a b Akash Senapaty: How Coin Master got Indians hooked to slot machines. In: factordaily.com. February 21, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  21. ↑ Sebastian Maas: Young people and gambling: Typing correctly again - then I'll be rich. bento , October 1, 2019, accessed October 17, 2019 .
  22. ↑ Gemma Calvert: Reality Rich List 2019: From Gemma Collins to Mark Wright, meet the biggest reality TV earners of 2019. September 22, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  23. ^ Matt Suckley: The IAP Inspector: How does Coin Master monetize? In: pocketgamer.biz. February 7, 2018, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  24. ↑ Kim Stoppert, Robert Hecklau, Susanne Armbruster: The (expensive) truth about Bibi and Coin Master. In: SR1 . Saarländischer Rundfunk , July 11, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  25. ↑ Coin Master: The influencer's gambling app turned over $ 280 million. In: omr.com. July 30, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  26. ↑ Michael Zeis: Coin Master: Coin Master Tricks: How to outsmart the game! In: gameswelt.de . October 2, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  27. ^ "Coin Master": A gateway drug into gambling? Westfalen-Blatt , August 9, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  28. ↑ Gateway drug for gambling? Medienanstalt has the game app “Coin Master” checked. In: Meedia.de . August 12, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  29. ↑ Protection of minors: Medienanstalt has the “Coin Master” game app checked. Göttinger Tageblatt , August 9, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  30. ↑ Coin Master: Youth advocates examine regulation of "social casinos". Pfalz Express, August 9, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  31. ↑ Medienanstalt has the "Coin Master" game app checked. Süddeutsche Zeitung , August 9, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 . ( dpa )
  32. ↑ "Coin Master" game app tested by Medienanstalt. Look at! , August 14, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  33. ↑ Simulated gambling and protection of minors. Entertainment Software Self-Regulatory , October 11, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  34. ↑ Daniel Herbig: "Simulated Gambling": Why the USK releases games like NBA 2k20 for children. heise online , September 12, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  35. ↑ Laura Stresing: Game app "Coin Master" should be on the index. In: t-online.de . October 15, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  36. ↑ Indexing procedure for the “Coin Master” app. Federal Testing Office for Media Harmful to Young People , October 11, 2019, accessed on October 13, 2019 .
  37. ↑ a b Eva-Maria Weiß: Federal Testing Office: Indexing procedure for the "Coin Master" app. heise online , October 14, 2019, accessed on October 14, 2019 .
  38. ↑ Christian Ströhl: Examination for content harmful to minors: Böhmermann successful: indexing procedure for mobile game Coin Master. In: noz.de. Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung , October 15, 2019, accessed on October 17, 2019 .
  39. ↑ Andreas Grieß: Video tip: Jan Böhmermann criticizes Coin Master and simulated gambling for children. In: turi2 . October 11, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  40. ↑ Federal testing agency has its sights set on the “Coin Master” app. In: Bild.de . October 15, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  41. ↑ Success for Böhmermann: The controversial mobile game "Coin Master" is up for grabs. In: derStandard.de . October 15, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  42. ↑ Oliver Nickel: ZDF triggers testing of gaming apps for children. In: Golem.de . October 15, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  43. ↑ Jan Michelsen: Coin Master: Will the app be indexed after a TV report? Computer Bild , October 15, 2019, accessed October 17, 2019 .
  44. ↑ Klaus Zimmermann: Gambling for Children? Jan Böhmermann wants the game app Coin Master to be placed on the index. In: casino.org. October 13, 2019, accessed October 11, 2019 .
  45. ↑ Tom Lubowski: Coin Master - Jan Böhmermann calls for indexing of simulated games of chance. In: spieletipps.de . October 11, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  46. ↑ Andreas Bertits: Indexing proceedings against mobile game Coin Master initiated thanks to Jan Böhmermann. In: PC Games . October 14, 2019, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  47. ↑ a b c The game apps "Coin Master", "Coin Trip" and "Coin Kingdom" are not harmful to minors in the sense of the Youth Protection Act. Federal Testing Agency for Media Harmful to Young Persons, March 5, 2020, accessed on March 9, 2020 .
  48. ↑ No harm to young people: Casino app "Coin Master" is not indexed , spiegel.de, March 5, 2020
  49. ↑ SUCCESS - FOREIGN APP OBLIGED TO COMPLY WITH GERMAN YOUTH PROTECTION. State Agency for Media NRW, April 6, 2020, accessed on June 9, 2020 .
  50. ↑ Controversial app "Coin Master" adapted to German youth protection. Saarbrücker Zeitung, Verlag und Druckerei GmbH, April 6, 2020, accessed on June 9, 2020 .