On April 4, 2024, the CFPB issued a report titled “Banking in Video Games and Virtual Worlds” that examines the financial and privacy risks to consumers in online video gaming marketplaces.

The CFPB’s report explains that gaming platforms facilitate the storage and exchange of valuable assets while collecting large amounts of data from their users. According to the CFPB, the gaming marketplaces and infrastructure that facilitate the exchange of assets increasingly resemble traditional banking and payment systems, while the underlying asset exchanges increasingly resemble traditional financial products, like loans. 

Continue reading the full GT Alert.

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Photo of Timothy A. Butler Timothy A. Butler

Tim Butler helps companies thrive by developing tailored strategies to address their regulatory compliance challenges and vigorously defending them in government enforcement actions and bet-the-company lawsuits.

A former prosecuting attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and former senior official in the Georgia

Tim Butler helps companies thrive by developing tailored strategies to address their regulatory compliance challenges and vigorously defending them in government enforcement actions and bet-the-company lawsuits.

A former prosecuting attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and former senior official in the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, Tim has led the defense of dozens of government investigations and enforcement actions brought by the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the various state attorneys general. Tim also regularly defends clients in bet-the-company lawsuits, including complex business disputes and consumer class actions alleging privacy, false advertising, and unfair or deceptive business practice claims.

Tim is an experienced guide for companies struggling with regulatory complexity. He offers clear advice that helps his clients meet the demands of the ever-growing set of laws and regulations governing data privacy and cybersecurity, advertising and marketing practices, and consumer financial products and services. Clients rely on Tim’s business-minded and practical strategies to address their most difficult regulatory compliance challenges.

A graduate of the University of Chicago and Stanford Law School, Tim is a prolific author and regularly speaks to industry and trade groups about the evolving privacy landscape, about cutting-edge issues affecting payments and fintech companies, and about developments at the FTC, the CFPB, and within the state attorneys general community.

Photo of Matthew White Matthew White

Matt White guides clients through regulatory compliance challenges and represents clients in regulatory and civil investigations and litigation.

Matt has counseled fintech and payment companies on regulatory compliance matters, including those involving the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the…

Matt White guides clients through regulatory compliance challenges and represents clients in regulatory and civil investigations and litigation.

Matt has counseled fintech and payment companies on regulatory compliance matters, including those involving the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and their respective implementing regulations (Regulations E, V, P, and Z). Adept with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Prepaid Rule, Matt has provided guidance regarding prepaid cards and related compliance.

Matt has also aided clients in developing regulatory compliant products and functionalities, including an earned wage access program, reimbursement prepaid card programs, new merchant cash advance products, and tokenized payment capabilities. In connection with products on which Matt advises, he has also negotiated high-stakes technology sales agreements involving complex regulatory issues, including compliance with data privacy laws, financial regulations, and card network rules.

Beyond helping clients strategize for regulatory complexity, Matt also helps clients navigate government investigations and enforcement actions brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), CFPB, and state attorneys general.

Photo of Tessa Cierny Tessa Cierny

Tessa Cierny advises companies on financial technology and data privacy issues. She has experience counseling companies on state and federal regulatory compliance, including existing and emerging privacy laws, such as the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act

Tessa Cierny advises companies on financial technology and data privacy issues. She has experience counseling companies on state and federal regulatory compliance, including existing and emerging privacy laws, such as the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as well as financial and banking regulations, such as the CFPB’s Section 1071 Small Business Lending Rule (Regulation B). In addition, she assists clients in defending business disputes and data breach litigation.

Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, she served as global records manager for WestRock, where she developed and implemented email and data retention policies for global data privacy regulation compliance. In this role, she also advised on data privacy concerns related to data retention, data loss prevention, and data governance.

Photo of Zeba Pirani Zeba Pirani

Zeba Pirani is a Resident Attorney based in Greenberg Traurig’s Atlanta office.