Uzbekistan Authorities Declare Hamster Kombat Game Legal in the Country
Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Advanced Projects (NAPP) has cleared up doubts about Hamster Kombat’s legal status. In a June 25 notice, Uzbekistan’s agency clarified that the Telegram-based game was not a play-to-earn (P2E) game. As a result, citizens were free to play the game, as it met national regulations and was legal.
Hamster Kombat Not Classified as a Crypto Asset Yet
The NAPP is the country’s regulator overseeing the cryptocurrency and e-commerce sectors.
P2E games are digital games where players can earn real money or valuable rewards through their in-game activities. These games typically utilize blockchain technology to provide players with crypto-assets or tokens that hold tangible value and can be traded or sold outside the game.
According to the agency, the primary distinction is in the utility and collateral of the in-game coins. While P2E games typically offer utilitarian crypto-assets that hold value, the coins in Hamster Kombat lack such characteristics.
when they’re not playing Hamster Kombat
gm, fam 🐹🫶🏽 pic.twitter.com/vvmmanXPSE
— Hamster Kombat (@hamster_kombat) June 20, 2024
As a result, they believe Hamster Kombat doesn’t qualify as a play-to-earn game since players can’t earn real-world financial benefits from their in-game achievements.
The NAPP provided further clarity on the crypto status of the Coin game. It noted that Uzbekistan’s crypto legislation classifies cryptocurrency assets as property rights, with a set of records in a distributed data register known as a blockchain.
The agency stated that the game points accumulated in it are not recorded on a blockchain, making them basic game coins rather than crypto assets that can be traded for real money.
It could be recalled the latest regulatory clarity stems from the rising hype surrounding the Hamster Kombat project. As of June 5, the Telegram-based game had surpassed 150 million players on Telegram and hit 200 million active users on June 24.
What Happens When Hamster Kombat Transitions to Blockchain?
Uzbekistan’s agency also acknowledged the potential for Hamster Kombat coins to transition onto the blockchain in the future.
The agency said that if Hamster Kombat coins were listed on cryptocurrency platforms, they would be subject to the same regulatory scrutiny as other crypto-assets such as Bitcoin.
This would include ensuring that the coins adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, and other financial security measures mandated by Uzbek law.
The Hamster Kombat roadmap details a token generation event (TGE) scheduled for July 2024.
A Token Generation Event (TGE) usually marks a token’s public release, often with an airdrop to users. Once this happens, Uzbekistan’s agency may reassess Hamster Kombat’s crypto status as airdrops precede a full token launch.
Hamster Kombat is set to debut its token on Telegram’s “The Open Network” (TON) blockchain, joining a lineup of popular games like Notcoin, TapSwap, and Yescoin. Since its launch, Telegram’s TON blockchain has experienced remarkable growth. In June, TON outperformed Ethereum in daily active addresses, showcasing its impressive performance.
