The US Federal Trade Commission has sent letters to major payment processors warning against denying services based on political or religious views. This action comes amid restrictions affecting video game developers and platforms. FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson cited an executive order from President Trump to underscore the policy.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned companies including Mastercard, Visa, Stripe, and PayPal this week that they cannot restrict access to services due to individuals' political or religious views. In a letter penned by Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson, the FTC emphasized the importance of financial access for law-abiding citizens. Ferguson wrote, 'Full participation in commerce and public life necessarily requires that law-abiding individuals can access, and freely participate in, our financial system.' He added that denying services due to 'political affiliations, religious beliefs, or lawful business activities' violates an August 7, 2025, executive order by President Trump on debanking, as first reported by Eurogamer.net. This intervention addresses a payment processor crisis in the video game industry. Platforms like Itch.io halted display of NSFW games after Stripe cited banking partner restrictions on sexually explicit content. Valve adjusted Steam's game offerings following reported pressure from Mastercard, which the company denied. Developers and players have voiced strong objections, with queer creators highlighting threats to their livelihoods from these changes. The FTC's stance may ease pressures on indie developers worldwide, though its impact remains to be seen.
