Laser tag endangering young people? Administrative court decides

Is Lasertag a sport/recreational event that endangers young people? This is at least as controversial a question as the question of the youth danger of computer games and, for the most part, a generational conflict.

About 2 years ago, the Administrative Court in Würzburg ruled:

“The LaserTag game offered in Würzburg poses a risk to the mental and emotional well-being of children and young people.”

The subject of the proceedings was a decision from 2014 which, on the basis of Section 7 of the Youth Protection Act, prohibited persons under the age of 16 from entering the premises – even if accompanied by legal guardians or persons with parental authority – and ordered young people aged 16 and 17 to undergo a personal briefing before the game and a personal evaluation after the game.

The Munich Administrative Court took a different view. In a similar hall in Ingolstadt, the operator received a decision to ban access for children under the age of 14. At yesterday’s hearing, however, the judge made it clear that the case, and thus a decision, had to be seen more individually. The Youth Office has done the wrong thing here, because it is only possible to take action against specific games and not to ban access for certain age groups in general. The Youth Office must now examine more closely which games could be harmful to young people and which could not.

A very wise and far-reaching decision that is likely to have an impact on operators of export cafes and other gaming facilities. Virtually Reality installations such as Hologate are also likely to be decided in the same way.

In principle, the installation and operation of esport facilities, laser tag arenas, gaming stations (whether for families or adults), VR facilities and similar entertainment venues, is highly recommended, both testing and things such as planning permission with a lawyer. The reason for this is simple, because discussions on the basis of the trade regulations, the building plans and in the area of tension of the protection of minors require some knowledge and have a certain effect on authorities if the communication is conducted professionally. For example, law enforcement authorities are often not inherently reluctant to approve installations and facilities, but want to see effective measures to protect minors applied and expect a certain attitude of operators. My experience in this field shows that social development is progressing. In addition, each authority can make individual decisions. The regulations and before all, the internal administrative and service regulations vary from state to state, but also from city to city.

In these areas, I can not only help with planning, but also help with the creation of corporations, investor discussions and other steps of self-employment. In this case, please contact me without obligation and we will find a way to help you and you can risk your step into self-employment.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.