All videogames banned

[Mass Distraction]

This is not a trivia regarding any specific game, system or a developer, but a country in its rage against all games in general. This being the case, I have no idea where to submit it. In any case, the trivia is as ollows:

For a brief period of time back in 2002, all electronic games were banned from public places and even from private possession in Greece. This all was due to public hysteria and sensationalist reporting that originated from video footage of a member of the ruling political party in an illegal gambling establishment.

As a result, the Greek government passed a bill that banned every single elvectronic gaming device in the country. According to a Greek gaming website the law defined everything banned as such:

1. Electrical games are those, that depend on electrical mechanisms.
   
2. Electromechanical games are those that depend on electrical mechanisms and the use of one's muscle force.
   
3. Electronic games are those, that depend on both electrical-electronic mechanisms and software.
   

The law, however, was defined unconstitutional and conflicted the European legislation. The ban was lifted later during the same year, at least when it came to non-profitable gaming on one's own leisure. Currently the law is suspended.

Originally the law essentially meant that if you played, say, Game Boy on a bus, you could face jailtime.

[source1]
[source2]
[source3]
Wikipedia article
The lifting of the law

[Psychospacecow]

Dang, that is something scary. Illegal gambling? BAN ALL THE SLIGHTLY RELATED THINGS!

[Dazz]

This would go in a planned feature that we're now working on. I'll expand in the coming weeks.

[Dazz]

On second inspection, I don't believe this to be true. Your second source has comments calling out the excessive claims made.

[Mass Distraction]

Those comments could be due to the fact that it was only for a short time back in 2002. Notice how all the comments are from at least 2 years after. The law might not have been used to its full extent at all times because it was, and I quote, "unconstitutional". See source 3, as in that is about two people who were released of charges because of this. The whole Wikipedia page, with all its sources, also makes it almost a certain fact that this law did exist for at least a period of time.

Here's a Greek article on the matter and how computers were confiscated from an internet cafe: http://news.in.gr/science-technology/art...aid=508793

The point is, the law was so poorly worded (like the recent SOPA/PIPA/whatever) that even if it was only meant to ban certain games, it banned everything.

Of course, I'm not saying you absolutely must use this for whatever it is you are currently working on and I respect your decision. I'm just saying that I much rather believe news sources (other than FOX) rather than random comments.