A client receives encrypted content from content server. The header of the content includes license-identifying information for identifying a license required to utilize the content. The client requests a license server to transmit the license identified by the license-identifying information. When receiving the request for a license, the license server carries out a charging process before transmitting the license to the client. The client stores the license received from the license server. The stored license serves as a condition for encrypting and playing back the content. As a result, content can be distributed with a high degree of freedom and only an authorized user is capable of utilizing the content.