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Visa/Mastercard told two major game distribution services to remove certain games, because a religious organization pressured them. Gamers are pissed.
(discuss.online)
this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2025
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For maximum disruption, phone, then email. If they don't respond in a timely manner (or it's boilerplate bs), another phone call to "clarify" things.
Just remember, the grunts on the phone aren't your enemy. Your goal is to maximise the amount of time you swallow, not to upset them. They could often be allies in hiding.
We don't have to truly break them. We just have to be more annoying than the religious nutjobs.
One-tap dial phone numbers:
Master card
US + Can English
(skips card number input)
Global
Visa
PayPal
US English
Say "make a complaint"
Global
Stripe (unconfirmed)
Script:
Mastercard is now trying to get you to give your bank/card in order to take the complaint lol had 3 reps ask. Don't give em the info they might cancel your card or some shit in retaliation
Called both, both wanted me to email. I read script then told them to stay in their lane. They both said this matter has already been documented. Keep calling should call them every day if you have the time. Also its, 1, 1, then just hit # when they ask for card number. Then you get transferred. I had four minute wait with Visa.
I have a friend who runs starlight shop. She’s not allowed to use cards for many things because the payment processors are convinced she is running a scam since they have classes on reiki and palm reading and herbs and stones and other stuff they tell her they “don’t pay fortune tellers.”
This really should be regulated. Electronic payments must accept everything cash can be used for or nothing. None of this censorship bullshit.
To be fair, that shit is a scam...
Yes and no. It can be, but not universally. As she explained it to me, it’s sort of a way of gaslighting people into being more critical about themselves, their lives, their points of view. Their idea is to push for positive change in the world by demonstrating they have that capacity in themselves. They never say “you can only buy magic rock or herb here” or “all palm readings done other places are wrong, you must come here” and they also turn away people who get waaaay to into it. I think it’s all hippy crystal-gripping nonsense and we respect each others viewpoints, but I do appreciate what she’s trying to do and for some people it does work.
On the other hand, look what we let Christians get away with. All she would have to do to get approval from payment processors is throw a cross on the logo. THATS the issue here.
But its an honest scam. Its what the customers want and they'll go elsewhere to get it if need be. Visa shouldn't be saying they wont have any part in someone's poor choices.
Hell does "we don't pay fortune tellers" mean? Remember miss Cleo? She made a crap load of money, and it definitely wasn't cash!
I mean a broken clock is right twice a day. No one should be spending money on such nonsense. I’m not sure to call it a scam though. Is it a scam if you yourself are also a victim?
At least with adult content you are receiving what you pay for. When you are buying magic you literally are not getting what you paid for.
Even if you believe in magic it has never been shown to exist.
By that logic they should be closing down all the Christian stores. Notice how they aren’t.
I am a secular person. But at least at a Christian store you are getting the book/cross/thing you are paying for.
If you buy magic you get literally nothing.
At the voodoo store I can get books/totems/things I’m paying for.
If you buy hallelujah you get literally nothing.
A better analogy would be tithing by card. I'm not certain you can do it but I'd be surprised if not
Buying books and totems and things would not be scams. You give money and get a thing. Same as a Christian buying a Christian book or cross or angel statue.
Prayers and magic in exchange for money are you giving money for nothing. Hallelujah would be in the money for nothing category.
What about the service of performing a ritual?
I mean, if I want to spend my money on bullshit mumbo jumbo, that’s my prerogative. It’s not a payment processor’s responsibility to police what dumb shit I choose to believe in.
afaik it’s not a new policy for mastercard/visa: what’s new is that valve, itch, and even visa and mastercard were just kinda ignoring it
worth noting it’s not all adult content either… things like fisting even are fine, but “bodily fluids” are not. it’s a bit of a weird one all round
i think that they just did a big over-correction
and to be clear, i absolutely DO NOT think even the policy as it stands/stood should hold: they shouldn’t be in the business of morality policing almost anything - if i want to pay for videos/games with bodily fluids in porn then they should facilitate that transaction