EVE General Discussion

Not kidding. From what I understand, this new FinCEN (US Dept of Treasury) ruling reclassifies any virtual currency as subject to the Bank Secrecy Act. This ruling takes effect in 8 days (sept 27th).

Basically that means that in order for CCP to sell isk (plex, aurom, whatever) they have to collect "Identifying information includes the customer’s name, date of birth, address and identification number. Sellers must retain this information for five years from the date of sale. The records must be easily accessible and retrievable upon request from FinCEN, law enforcement or judicial order."

More info from the bitcoins forum: http://www.bitcoinmoney.com/post/8412471372/fincen-prepaid-access-final-rule

I also talked to a developer at GameCoins and they're also trying to figure out how to deal with the change. Facebook Credits, Farmville, Mobsters, etc all also fall under the ruling.

Hopefully I'm just understanding it all wrong, but it sure would be ridiculous if CCP had to choose between no longer selling PLEX to US customers or having to collect all of our social security numbers...

FinCEN ruling statement:
- http://www.fincen.gov/news_room/nr/html/20110715.html

Final ruling:
- http://www.fincen.gov/statutes_regs/frn/pdf/MSB_Final_Rule_Definition_and_OtherRegulations.pdf

Kallahar

Server not in the U.S.A.

That's a minor issue compared to what would happen if the US really decided to go through and impose trade sanctions against Iceland because of the whaling conflict... while unlikely here is how a worst case scenario would play out:


POTUS decides that enough is enough and enacts economic sanctions against Iceland for breach of the IWC moratorium (I know a bit more complex but trying to do a brief version of this)

Icelandic economic interests with links to the US are identified - CCP as an icelandic company gets flagged up.

US starts to enforce trade sanctions - while you would still be able to play EVE from the US you'd not be able to pay CCP for anything which would hurt some more than others.

Pain and suffering would follow.


Compared to that collecting social security numbers is a minor annoyance.

god i lolled so hard the coffee came out of my nose

I thought a plex was game time for eve? not isk.

Doesn't matter that you can sell it in game for isk. It's the same as paying your monthly sub and ratting for a bit to get the bounties.

"f the MSB conducts $1,000 worth of transactions per person per day, the enterprise must comply with anti-money laundering rules required under the BSA"

I do not think anyone playing eve does $1000 per day, so for that we are OK. If needed, CCP can just limit the number of Game Time Cards a person can buy in one day to, say, 25.

Also as CCP does not provide a way to change plex or isk or aurum back into $, it is not really a currency at all.

bitcoin... haha

Gambling websites are generally based outside the USA, but that hasn't stopped the US issuing arrest warrants.

So much for ordering a pizza in game and having it delivered.
YOU NEED TO FIX THIS, CCP

Oh wait I still can, NVM

LoL America