Washington - The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), a trade group representing U.S. video game developers and publishers, announced on Monday that a federal court recently ordered the state of Louisiana to pay $91,000 in legal fees the ESA tallied during its successful challenge to the state's law banning the sale of violent games to minors.

The ESA said it has now been awarded over $1.71 million in legal fees from states and municipalities in the course of challenging similar laws.

The Louisiana case represents the ninth ruling in seven years that has struck down or enjoined laws seeking to ban video game sales to minors.

"This Court is dumbfounded that the Attorney General and the State are in the position of having to pay taxpayer money as attorney's fees and costs in this lawsuit," wrote Judge James J. Brady of the Middle District of Louisiana in his ruling.

"The Court wonders why nobody objected to the enactment of this statute. In this court's view, the taxpayers deserve more from their elected officials."

"It couldn't be clearer that the real answer is not regulation, but education of parents to empower them to use the video game rating system, parental controls in game consoles, and other available tools," said ESA senior vice president and general counsel Gail Markels.

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