Ninth Circuit Holds That Arbitration Clause in “Sign-In Wrap Agreement” Is Enforceable

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration after concluding, contrary to the district court’s decision, that a “sign-in wrap agreement” provided conspicuous notice of terms and that an arbitration clause in the terms was therefore enforceable.

Warners Bros. Entertainment Inc. developed Game of Thrones: Conquest, a mobile game that users could download on their phones. To play the game, users had to press a button labeled “play.” That button was directly over a notice informing users that, by pressing “play,” they agreed to the game’s terms of use. The phrase “terms of use” was a hyperlink to the terms. The first paragraph of the terms advised users in all capitals that the terms required “the use of arbitration on an individual basis to resolve disputes” and involved “waiving your right to a jury trial and class action relief.” An arbitration clause was further down in the terms.

A group of plaintiffs sued Warners Bros. for false and misleading advertising. Warner Bros. moved to compel arbitration. The district court denied that request, concluding that the notice of the terms was “insufficiently conspicuous to bind users to them.”

Warner Bros. appealed and the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded. The court concluded that the terms were “sufficiently conspicuous” under California law. The court found that the “context of the transaction” supported the enforceability of the terms because users downloaded the app to play the game rather than just accessing a website and thus knew that they would be playing the game for extended periods. The Ninth Circuit also concluded that the visual placement of the notice of the terms — immediately under the “play” button — was clear and conspicuous. The Ninth Circuit also rejected the argument that the terms were substantively unconscionable because the arbitration agreement purportedly banned injunctive relief.

Keebaugh v. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., No. 22-55982 (9th Cir. Apr. 26, 2024).