On the 16th, the PC gaming platform Steam updated its adult content guidelines, hinting at the possibility of restricting content that violates the standards of their payment processors. Gamers are, understandably, baffled. Since when did a mere private entity providing payment services—not a regulatory body, not a state agency, and certainly not a game studio—gain the power to police a platform as massive as Steam?

The reason for this is rather convoluted. It is part of a broader wave of payment regulations spreading across the online content industry, fueled by a messy entanglement of legal, social, and financial factors.

The primary catalyst for this shift is a 2022 lawsuit in the US. A 13-year-old resident filed a suit against adult-oriented sites like Pornhub and OnlyFans, claiming their videos were uploaded without consent. The proceedings revealed that these platforms were aware of, yet failed to act upon, widespread illegal content, including child sexual abuse material.

Major credit card firms, namely Visa and MasterCard, were dragged into the fray as defendants. The accusation? They knowingly allowed their networks to facilitate payments for illegal content, effectively turning a blind eye to illicit revenue streams. While the case is ongoing, it served as the starting gun for these card companies to aggressively tighten their grip on the adult content industry.

Analysts suggest these moves are a defensive measure to mitigate liability in ongoing litigation. A whistleblower alleged that Visa and MasterCard were aware of these issues as early as 2021–2022, citing warnings from federal investigators regarding OnlyFans and research shared by anti-trafficking groups in 2022. While both card companies deny these claims and assert they are actively combating illegal activities, this period marked the beginning of their crackdown on content platforms—be it video, manga, or games—by cutting off payment processing.

The regulatory tide that began in the US crossed the Pacific, impacting the Japanese content market starting last year. In April 2024, the major download site 'DLsite' halted credit card payments, followed by 'FANZA Doujin' losing Visa support in June. By November, the out-of-print manga revival site 'Manga Library Z' was forced into a temporary shutdown due to a loss of payment services. Similar payment disruptions are rippling across various platforms catering to both male and female demographics, including 'Pocket Drama CD', 'pictSPACE', and 'Aer.ne'.

Visa's headquarters maintains that they do not make value judgments on lawful content. However, some argue that 'payment processors'—stuck between the credit card brands and merchants—are the ones driving the crackdown under pressure, imposing their own internal standards to preemptively block payments for specific types of content.

According to the 2022 paper 'The Impact of Mastercard's Adult Content Policy on Adult Content Creators' by Val Webber of Dalhousie University, MasterCard’s revised guidelines impose significant regulatory burdens on platforms. Beyond simple consent forms, platforms are now required to independently verify the identity and age of content providers and ensure all performers have provided documented consent.

Every piece of content must undergo pre-posting review, and live streaming services must implement real-time monitoring. Platforms are also required to establish procedures for users to report and performers to delete 'potentially illegal or non-compliant' content, while submitting monthly reports. Furthermore, the policy bans keywords suggesting CSAM or non-consensual acts and enforces policies against human trafficking and prostitution. A clause even allows MasterCard to demand the restriction of specific content at their discretion.

A 2022 survey revealed that 90% of respondents suffered at least one form of harm due to these policies, including account suspensions, demands for ID updates, content removal for theme violations, delays, or outright merchant account termination. Creators of niche content—fetish, BDSM, or queer themes—were 1.4 to 1.5 times more likely to have content removed, illustrating that card companies are effectively engaging in arbitrary discrimination and censorship of non-mainstream sexual interests.

Steam’s recent guideline update is clearly an attempt to navigate the strict rules imposed by payment processors, card networks, banks, and ISPs. While general games make up the bulk of Steam’s revenue, the platform does host adult content. For Valve, a total ban on credit card usage would be catastrophic, forcing the company to outsource censorship powers to the very financial institutions that hold the keys to the kingdom.

However, in a world where online card payments are ubiquitous, the fact that card companies wield more power than state regulators or ratings boards is deeply concerning. There is no social consensus on these censorship standards, nor is it clear if the voices of creators or consumers are being heard at all.

Steam currently hosts a variety of adult games. Many 2D adult titles from Japan or Taiwan often feature characters with juvenile appearances—often wearing school uniforms—while claiming they are 'adults by setting.' If the card companies apply the same strict standards to Steam as they have to other adult platforms, many of these games could face delisting. While Valve has yet to reveal the specific criteria for these new regulations, the impact on a significant portion of the game library seems inevitable.

Other platforms are likely to face similar pressure. While the big three console platforms or the Epic Games Store may be insulated by their lower volume of adult content, niche indie platforms and specialized adult game storefronts in Japan, Taiwan, and Europe are squarely in the crosshairs.