The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has released a report titled “Banking in Video Games and Virtual Worlds,” which highlights the potential risks of scams and reduced consumer protections in crypto-centric gaming. The report specifically focuses on the growing interest among gaming creators in linking virtual items to real-world assets. While cryptocurrencies have a limited presence in virtual gaming currently, they are gaining traction. The CFPB emphasized the importance of crypto-asset virtual worlds, despite their lower popularity compared to mainstream gaming platforms. Trading platforms allow users to convert virtual assets into fiat currency, increasing their liquidity beyond traditional gaming markets.
The report also notes that prominent virtual gaming publishers are expressing interest in positioning their virtual items as crypto-assets that can be traded outside of the game’s economy. This means that virtual assets in platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox can be exchanged for fiat currency on other cryptocurrency platforms. Alexander Grieve, government affairs lead at Paradigm, believes that reports like this from the CFPB could signal upcoming regulatory actions, as the agency seeks to establish its regulatory role in the cryptocurrency industry.
The CFPB acknowledged that online video games and virtual worlds have become akin to traditional banking but lack the expected federal protections. The agency has received complaints about hacking attempts, account theft, and asset loss within games, with consumers expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of support from gaming companies. CFPB Director Rohit Chopra highlighted the growing trend of Americans converting billions into digital currencies for gaming purposes. As banking and payments continue to shift to virtual realms, the CFPB aims to protect consumers from fraud and scams.
In line with its focus on cryptocurrencies, the CFPB has introduced a proposed rule called “Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications.” This rule would give the agency oversight over “larger nonbank firms” that provide digital wallet and payment app services. It would require nonbank financial entities processing over five million transactions annually to adhere to regulations similar to those imposed on major banks and credit unions. While the rule only mentions cryptocurrencies briefly, critics argue that it asserts authority over cryptocurrency in an inappropriate manner.
It’s laughable that the CFPB is concerned about scams in virtual worlds when there are much bigger scams happening in the real world. Get your priorities straight!