Key points
- An appeal court in England ruled that RuneScape gold can legally be considered property under the Theft Act 1968.
- An earlier ruling had found the in-game gold held no monetary value.
- The case involves a former Jagex insider accused of taking billions of gold from up to 68 accounts, worth just over $700,000.
- The ruling let the prosecution continue; he was sentenced in September 2026.
The ruling
Massively OP reported on January 23, 2026 that an appeal court had overturned an earlier finding that RuneScape gold had no monetary value. The judges found the gold “properly described as something which can be stolen as a matter of normal use of language”, and that “gold pieces in RuneScape fulfill these criteria.” That brings in-game gold under the Theft Act 1968.
The case behind it
The case concerns a former Jagex insider accused of using his access to take billions of gold from up to 68 player accounts and selling it, reportedly for bitcoin, for just over $700,000. Massively OP described the ruling as potentially setting a precedent for digital currency, while noting that it is one case. The defendant, Andrew Lakeman, was sentenced in September 2026 (see our story on the sentence).
What it means for buyers
If gold is property that can be stolen, then stolen gold is stolen property, and that cuts both ways for buyers. Gold sourced from hacked accounts is exactly what a seller should never deliver, and it is also what publishers claw back. Pick sellers with a clear sourcing story from the Old School RuneScape page, and read what to do if your account is hacked.
Sources
- Massively OP: UK judge rules ex-RuneScape dev can be sued for theftJan 23, 2026
- Massively OP: former OSRS developer sentencedSep 7, 2026
We report from official announcements first and name the outlet when a detail comes from one report. Found an error? Tell us, and see our editorial policy.
