To provide a system which enables a playback license that a content receiver has obtained from a content distribution device to be temporarily returned to the content distribution device and in which the number of remaining days until the expiry date of the playback license during a return period does not decrease, in a content receiver and the content distribution device connected to a communication network.

The content receiver includes processing for returning the acquired playback license to the content distribution device and processing for requesting acquisition of the returned playback license. The content distribution device includes processing capable of holding and managing the temporarily returned playback license and processing capable of issuing the returned playback license in response to the acquisition request of the returned playback license.