No, Hamster Kombat is not illegal in Uzbekistan

Regulators in Uzbekistan have not banned citizens from playing the Hamster Kombat clicker game on Telegram, but withdrawing in-game coins could likely be a problem.

Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP), a major regulator overseeing e-commerce and the cryptocurrency industry, issued an announcement on June 25 clarifying the legal status of the Hamster Kombat game.

Hamster Kombat coins are not cryptocurrencies, at least for now

In the statement, the NAPP emphasized that Hamster Kombat is not a typical play-to-earn game, as its in-game coins do not have collateral or real utility.

On the other hand, in play-to-earn games , players are rewarded with assets that have real-world monetary value and can be traded, such as cryptocurrencies or non-fungible tokens (NFT).

For example, in a game like Axie Infinity , players can collect Axies — collectible creatures used to battle others in the game or trade on marketplaces.

According to the NAPP, Uzbekistan residents are free to play the Hamster Kombat game and collect in-game tokens as they are not actual cryptocurrencies and are not based on blockchain. Hamster Kombat tokens are also beyond the scope of NAPP’s regulation for that reason.

“It is possible, however, that Hamster Kombat coins may move to the blockchain in the future, thereby becoming a crypto asset,” the authority noted.

Selling Hamster Kombat tokens would likely be a problem

While tapping and collecting tokens on the Hamster Kombat game is not illegal in Uzbekistan, selling in-game tokens will likely get problematic for many due to local regulations.

According to the NAPP, Hamster Kombat gamers will only be allowed to sell their in-game tokens once the underlying token is approved as a crypto asset and listed on a regulated national exchange.

“However, often such crypto-assets depreciate in value within a short period of time following the listing due to the lack of useful functionality,” the NAPP added.

The Next Notcoin?

Launched in March 2024, Hamster Kombat is a Telegram-based tap-to-earn, or clicker, game where players take on the role of a CEO running a virtual cryptocurrency exchange. The game has quickly become viral among mobile users, hitting 9 million followers on X in June.

Hamster Kombat is often referred to as the “next Notcoin” as both are Telegram-based clicker games and part of the growing ecosystem of The Open Network (TON). Notcoin has become one of the most successful games in the TON ecosystem, amassing 11.5 million holders after listing in mid-May 2024.

Related: Iranian officials decry blockchain game 'Hamster Kombat' as soft power tool

The news comes a few days after the local news outlet Uzbek-MDK reported that Uzbekistani prosecutors would imprison Hamster Combat players attempting to withdraw in-game tokens.

Previously, a local court reportedly sentenced a 24-year-old man to 10 days of administrative imprisonment for selling Notcoin (NOT) tokens for 800,000 Uzbekistan soms, worth $63.

According to local reports, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov  was spotted in Uzbekistan in June. Some insiders claim that his visit is likely connected to working with regulators to discuss the legal status of the TON ecosystem in the country.

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