diff --git a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
index 3fb04c9..40a3185 100644
--- a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :get_issue, only: [:show, :edit, :update, :destroy]
 
   def index
-    raise AccessError unless cuser and cuser.admin?
+    raise AccessError unless cuser and (cuser.admin? or cuser.moderator?)
 
     sort = case params['sort']
            when "title"  then "title"
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
            else "created_at DESC"
            end
 
-    @open = Issue.with_status(Issue::STATUS_OPEN).all order: sort
-    @solved = Issue.with_status(Issue::STATUS_SOLVED).all order: sort
-    @rejected = Issue.with_status(Issue::STATUS_REJECTED).all order: sort
+    allowed = Issue::allowed_categories cuser
+
+    @open = Issue.where(category_id: allowed).with_status(Issue::STATUS_OPEN).all order: sort
+    @solved = Issue.where(category_id: allowed).with_status(Issue::STATUS_SOLVED).all order: sort
+    @rejected = Issue.where(category_id: allowed).with_status(Issue::STATUS_REJECTED).all order: sort
   end
 
   def show
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def update
-    raise AccessError unless @issue.can_update? cuser
+    raise AccessError unless @issue.can_update?(cuser, params[:issue])
     if @issue.update_attributes(params[:issue])
       flash[:notice] = t(:issues_update)
       redirect_to(@issue)
diff --git a/app/models/issue.rb b/app/models/issue.rb
index 594ddb0..49af7f9 100644
--- a/app/models/issue.rb
+++ b/app/models/issue.rb
@@ -96,18 +96,36 @@ class Issue < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def can_show? cuser
-    cuser and !cuser.nil? and ((author == cuser) or cuser.admin?)
+    cuser and ((author == cuser) or (Issue::allowed_categories(cuser).include?(self.category_id)))
   end
 
   def can_create? cuser
     true
   end
 
-  def can_update? cuser
-    cuser and cuser.admin?
+  def can_update?(cuser, params = {})
+    ret = cuser && Issue::allowed_categories(cuser).include?(self.category_id)
+    if ret && !cuser.admin? && params.member?(:category_id)
+      ret = (self.category_id.to_s == params[:category_id])
+    end
+
+    ret
   end
 
   def can_destroy? cuser
     cuser and cuser.admin?
   end
+
+  # STATIC METHODS
+
+  def self.allowed_categories cuser
+    allowed = []
+    allowed << 54 if cuser.admin? || cuser.gather_moderator? # gather
+    allowed << 17 if cuser.admin? # website
+    allowed << 22 if cuser.admin? # league
+    allowed << 20 if cuser.admin? # ensl plugin
+    allowed
+  end
+
+
 end
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index db83fea..9cefd2b 100755
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -190,19 +190,24 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def admin?
-    groups.exists? :id => Group::ADMINS
+    groups.exists? id: Group::ADMINS
   end
 
   def ref?
-    groups.exists? :id => Group::REFEREES
+    groups.exists? id: Group::REFEREES
   end
 
   def staff?
-    groups.exists? :id => Group::STAFF
+    groups.exists? id: Group::STAFF
   end
 
   def caster?
-    groups.exists? :id => Group::CASTERS
+    groups.exists? id: Group::CASTERS
+  end
+
+  # might seem redundant but allows for later extensions like forum moderators
+  def moderator?
+    groups.exists? id: Group::GATHER_MODERATORS
   end
 
   def gather_moderator?
@@ -210,7 +215,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def allowed_to_ban?
-    admin? or gather_moderator?
+    admin? or moderator?
   end
 
   def verified?
diff --git a/app/views/issues/_form.html.erb b/app/views/issues/_form.html.erb
index c39a114..5521c47 100644
--- a/app/views/issues/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/issues/_form.html.erb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <%= f.label :title %>
     <%= f.text_field :title %>
   </div>
-  <% if cuser and cuser.admin? %>
+  <% if cuser and Issue::allowed_categories(cuser).include?(@issue.category_id) %>
     <div class="fields horizontal">
       <%= f.label :status %>
       <%= f.select :status, @issue.statuses.invert %>
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     <%= f.label :text %>
     <%= f.text_area :text, rows: 7 %>
   </div>
-  <% if cuser and cuser.admin? %>
+  <% if cuser and Issue::allowed_categories(cuser).include?(@issue.category_id) %>
     <div class="fields horizontal">
       <%= f.label :solution %>
       <%= f.text_area :solution, rows: 7 %>
diff --git a/app/views/widgets/_logged.html.erb b/app/views/widgets/_logged.html.erb
index c6f7842..a54451b 100644
--- a/app/views/widgets/_logged.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/widgets/_logged.html.erb
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
             Admin (<%= Issue.with_status(0).count  %>) <%= icon 'wrench' %>
           <% end %>
         </li>
+      <% elsif cuser.moderator? %>
+        <li>
+          <%= link_to issues_path, class: 'admin' do %>
+            Issues (<%= Issue.where(category_id: Issue.allowed_categories(cuser)).with_status(0).count %>) <%= icon 'wrench' %>
+          <% end %>
+        </li>
       <% end %>
       <li>
         <%= link_to user_path(cuser) do %>