The Entertainment Software Association, the trade body representing the games industry, spent $980K (£535K) in lobbying expenses during Q2 2008, a July federal filing revealed.

First-half 2008 lobbying expenses were $1.7m (£927K),  already topping 2007's year-long total of $1.4m. 2006 lobbying expenses were $1.2m.

By comparison, the Motion Picture Association of America spent $456K (£249K) in Q2, bringing first-half 2008's total to $966K, significantly behind the ESA's spend.

During calendar Q2, the ESA lobbied issues including media violence, First Amendment protection, entertainment industry ratings, anti-piracy, patent modernization, sale regulation, retailer enforcement of ratings system and IP enforcement.

The organization lobbied before the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, Copyright Office, Dept. of Homeland Security, FBI and others.