Trading product keys for services - legal?

[ts50]

I don't feel like this should go in this forum, but I don't know where else it would go, so hopefully this is right.

Now, I know it's legal to give away Steam keys to RPG Maker products, for free. But selling them is not legal. However, what about trading keys for services? For example, say I'm looking for voice actors for a game, and in exchange for the voice acting, I offer to give my actors an MZ Steam key. Is that legal?

 

[ATT_Turan]

With a quick Google, barter is legally considered a sale - it's taxable, etc. At least in U.S.A. law, the value of bartered goods is equal to real dollars.

Which, of course, makes perfect sense, otherwise you could do anything you wanted by buying gift cards, giving them to a person, and then claiming "I didn't pay them anything!"

So, while I'm not a lawyer, I would not give something in exchange for a service that I was prohibited from selling, as it seems legally equal.

 

[ts50]

Any official statement @Touchfuzzy @Archeia @Lunarea ?

 

[Shaz]

Why do you say selling them is not legal? Did you see that stated somewhere?