We’re excited to announce an important update to our policy regarding the use of gachas and similar mechanisms in Second Life. Effective October 7, 2024, our community will once again be able to create and enjoy gacha-style purchases inworld, with some important new restrictions to ensure compliance with the evolving legal landscape around chance-based content transactions.

What’s Changing?

In 2021, we implemented a general prohibition on gachas to align with global regulatory concerns. Starting October 7, 2024, we are lifting this prohibition. Residents can once again engage in gacha-based sales, but with a key new rule: gacha items, including the boxes or containers they come in, must not be transferable. This means that once you purchase a gacha item, it is yours and cannot be passed on to other users.

Key Highlights:

• No Transferability: Gacha items and their containers must be set as “No Transfer” to ensure that they can only be used by the buyer. This applies to both the object inside and any packaging used for delivery.
• Breedables: Breedable pets and other life simulation content are exempt from this policy and can continue to operate as they have before.
• Games of Skill: If a game of skill (like throwing darts or spinning a wheel) is used to win a prize, it is still permitted as long as the prize and its container are marked as "No Transfer."
• Subscription Boxes: Subscription boxes are unaffected, as long as all participants receive the same content. Different items distributed to different subscribers based on chance are now allowed but must also follow the “No Transfer” rule.
• Warnings and Enforcement: Violations of this new policy will result in warnings or removal of items and vendor systems. Repeated violations can lead to account suspension, termination, or loss of land.

Why the Change?

At Linden Lab, we believe in giving our Residents the freedom to engage in a wide range of activities in Second Life. The changes in the legal climate surrounding gachas and loot boxes have allowed us to relax our restrictions while still maintaining protections for our community.

For more detailed information on the specific rules and exceptions, please refer to our Updated Gacha Policy FAQ.

With the holiday shopping season approaching, we’re excited to see how creators and Residents will engage with these new opportunities in Second Life while adhering to these updated guidelines!