A Japanese politician and former assemblyman, Zenko Kurishita, has publicly warned that major credit card companies are quietly controlling which video games can be sold online. The lawmaker claimed in an interview with Denfaminicogamer this “censorship via payments” succeeds because most gamers have no idea payment processors are pulling the strings behind game removals and content changes.
The politician argued that credit card networks like Visa and Mastercard effectively act as gatekeepers by threatening to cut off payment processing for stores that sell certain types of content. Even when games are completely legal, payment companies can block transactions based on their own content policies.
“Payment processor rules sit upstream of platforms,” the lawmaker explained. This means game stores, publishers, and developers must follow credit card company rules or lose the ability to accept payments entirely. When your favorite adult game suddenly disappears from a storefront, it might not be the platform’s decision at all.
The warning comes as Japanese game developers face increasing pressure when selling adult-oriented titles internationally. Payment networks maintain strict policies against content featuring non-consensual acts, incest themes, or characters who appear underage—even in fictional drawn content that’s legal in Japan and other countries.
Recent history shows the lawmaker’s concerns aren’t theoretical. When Pornhub lost Visa and Mastercard processing in December 2020, the adult site had to purge millions of videos. OnlyFans nearly banned explicit content in 2021 due to banking pressure before negotiating a last-minute reprieve. Multiple indie game platforms tightened their adult content policies throughout 2023 and 2024, with many citing “payment compliance” as the reason.
The situation creates a strange dynamic where financial companies shape creative content more than governments do. A game featuring mature themes might be perfectly legal to create and sell, but if Mastercard won’t process the payment, it effectively can’t exist in the mainstream market.
Japan’s unique payment landscape offers some workarounds that other countries lack. Japanese consumers can pay for online purchases with cash at convenience stores using a barcode system called “konbini pay.” Bank transfers and prepaid cards also provide alternatives to credit card networks. These options let domestic platforms serve adult content markets without bowing to international payment rules.
When your bank becomes your mom
The lawmaker urged exploring “alternative, neutral payment options” to preserve creative freedom. Some gamers have suggested cryptocurrency as a solution, though crypto’s volatility and complexity make it impractical for everyday purchases. Countries like Brazil have developed national instant payment systems that bypass card networks entirely, but similar infrastructure doesn’t exist globally.
At its core, this is a basic tug-of-war in the digital economy. Payment processors argue they need content restrictions to manage legal risks and protect their reputation. Critics counter that financial infrastructure companies shouldn’t act as moral arbiters for legal transactions. As one frustrated gamer put it: “They should have zero say in what we purchase as long as it is legal.”
