Federal Anti Cheat Act

The **Federal Anti-Cheat Act** (or **Anti-Cheat-Gesetz des Bundes** in German) is a federal law in Lepps Island that criminalizes any use of cheating software in online multiplayer video games and imposes severe penalties on anyone who is caught doing so. It was passed in 2011 in response to a high number of video game cheaters that have risen in the country, as well as in neighboring countries including Valentine, where cheating is still legal.

The law provides for a minimum of 20 years in prison without parole, as well as a L$500,000 fine for any individual or organization who is caught cheating, and aiding and abetting anyone in cheating is also punishable by the same penalty with no exceptions. It also allows video game developers to report cheaters to law enforcement and allows law enforcement to confiscate all personal electronics without a court order or a warrant if they are confirmed to be cheating. Additionally, the right to legal counselling is revoked for anyone found guilty of cheating, as well as the right to know of their charges or a fair trial and prohibits judges from granting early release or parole for anyone found guilty of cheating in any online video game. In addition, it is also a federal crime to use VPN as a means of preventing anyone from tracking the cheater.

The penalties for cheating on online video games in Lepps Island are the same as bootlegging, piracy, and criminal copyright infringement, being punishable by L$500,000 fines and 20 years in prison without parole for first offense, and also restricts the same rights as well.

## Criticism

Even though the majority of the country's online multiplayer gaming population, as well as video game developers supported the law, it has drawn criticism from rights organizations for undermining the rights of citizens given that the right to know of ones charges, the right to legal counselling, and the right to fair trial are restricted for individuals convicted of cheating, and allows law enforcement to arrest the cheater without a warrant, as well as confiscate all personal electronics without a warrant or court order, but only if it really is the cheater that they found. Additionally, cheaters are not allowed to know of their charges once they have been caught, causing outcry from certain rights groups.

However, the country's Eidgenössischer Kommunikationsrat has stated that restricting these rights are necessary to ensure that the multiplayer gaming world remains fun and fair for everyone, and that the restrictions do not intend to abuse the rights of others, as the country already respects many rights in law and in practice.

## Notable Incidents

On October 26, 2012, a 19-year-old in South Lepps province was convicted of match fixing in Team Fortress 2 and was sentenced to 20 years without parole and was forced to pay L$500,000 in fines and will be permanently banned from playing online multiplayer video games or possessing any personal electronics after getting out.

On April 27, 2013, a group of three, both of which in their early 20's, were convicted of match fixing in CS:GO and were sentenced to 20 years without parole and were forced to pay L$500,000 in fines and will be permanently banned from playing online multiplayer video games or possessing any personal electronics after getting out, and they will not be allowed to have any contact with each other.

On June 24, 2014, a 20-year-old in North Lepps province was sentenced to 20 years without parole and was forced to pay L$500,000 in fines, plus an additional L$30,000 in restitution to an eSports organization after match fixing on several occasions. He has been slapped with a lifetime travel ban and a permanent ban from having any electronics.

On May 14, 2016, a 24-year-old in East Lepps province was caught cheating in call-of-duty while at a Starbucks. An employee was not aware of it until walking over to tell him to quiet down after some customers complained about his loud voice. After seeing the equipment however, she ended up reporting him to the manager, who called federal police. Swat vehicles swarmed the area while the manager and the employee detained him as swat officers busted in to arrest him. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years without parole.

On December 5, 2016, a 14-year-old in South Lepps province had his house swarmed by swat officers after having found him to be cheating in CS:GO. His computer was seized and confiscated and was eventually arrested for cheating. The boy initially thought he was swatted, only to find out it was actually serious. Even while detained, he still didn't know if it was just a prank or not. The boy pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years without parole, but due to public outcry, he was released and placed on house arrest until the age of 18, but with conditions that ban him from possessing any personal electronics or access to the internet except to do classwork.

On March 25, 2018, a 19-year-old in West Lepps province had his computers seized and destroyed for cheating in Fortnite while in his bedroom. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison without parole and was permanently banned from playing Fortnite ever again under a court order.

Between March 2020 and April 2021 due to lockdowns, the government rounded up 254 video game cheaters who cheated in online video games such as Fortnite, CS:GO, Call-of-duty, Overwatch, etc.. All of these cheaters were sentenced to 20 years without parole and were forced to pay L$500,000 fines.

On June 29, 2022, a 13-year-old of North Lepps was found guilty of cheating in Fortnite and was sentenced to 20 years without parole, but due to public outcry, his sentence was reduced to five years of house arrest and community service, but his conditions are that he is not allowed to play Fortnite or any online multiplayer games until after he turns 18, and his internet will be closely monitored by the country's Ministry of Corrections.