Has the Time Come to Start Taxing Online Game Currency?

Originally posted by broahes

Originally posted by Miccey
Damn your behind...
You know that they allready do that...

Scenario:

I play game, i make ingame money, i withdraw that money
OR sell items INGAME for real life currency..

IF i make ENOUGH money, that is considderd an INCOME..
All incomes is TAXED...

That is if you live i sweden....The TAXHELL on earth....

That is the withdrawal of real currency that is being taxed. The issue pointed out here is the taxation of a currency that is currently outside of taxation, online currency. You can't withdraw an online currency and, say, buy a burger at McDonald's with it.

Yes i can...Ever heard of Entropia Universe....

Google and be amazed...
The PED=Project Entropia Dollar is directly tied to
US dollar and is rated 10/1, 10ped is One US$...
And currently the Market in game is horrible..
You might end up paying 500ped for a pair of
pants...INGAME...

Sheple is everywere....

Well for the majority who don't make real money from the games, the taxable income will be zero. And for people who do, they are taxed.

As for buying online things with virutal dollars. If a person is already taxed for their paying hobbies or jobs, (this would only apply to the few that do make money that way), then how is it any different than anyone else buying something with their AFTER TAX DOLLARS? Every purchase made is after tax dollars.

reply to post by Unity_99


I think the IRS gamers are just mad at gold farmers, and this is their way of getting them back!

Unless they are going to open a virtual IRS office in every online medium, there would be next to no way to pay virtual taxes. UNLESS they decided that my real money will suffice in place of the virtual currency, if that is the case then methinks more than gamers will be paying this(these) tax(es).

Damn you Taxie!

reply to post by Miccey


Reminds me of bitcoin.

bitcoin.org...

reply to post by jude11


Wait a minute... this makes no sense. Most people don't sell their accounts. If the IRS wants to tax virtual game currency, they should tax people who sell their accounts instead. People with virtual game currency might not even have enough real money to pay those taxes! This is an example of congress trying to regulate something that they are clueless about.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the expected Diablo 3 release using RMAH (real money auction house). Apparently Diablo 3 will be allowing players to buy and sell game items using real money.

For example if someone gets a rare item they could potentially sell it through the in game acution house and make some quick cash. Im personally pretty excited about this feature.

To the above..
It sure is exiting. BUT, there are so many problems
one big problem is developers..
Gamedevs cant see the forest cause all the
trees are in the way....

Originally posted by DaTroof
This is actually a great idea.

Video games are destroying productivity, attention spans, literacy, and social interaction.

I'm all for banning video games altogether.

Yes, let's. Then we can encourage kids to start throwing rocks at trains again, or maybe robbing the local Arby's. Yes, it does happen.

Derp, video games keep kids occupied so they don't go drinking and wreaking havoc.

reply to post by Starchild23


Read the news once in a while, you'll see all this still happens regardless of video games or not.

Better parenting is what's needed. I grew up with a single parent, had video games, drunk when I was 15 but I'm not in prison, not got a criminal record, never smashed a bus window or robbed a shop. My mum treated my like a mother and not like a friend and that instilled respect and pride in me and made me the respectable member of society I am today. If she'd let me drink, let me smoke, let me stay out all hours then maybe it would be differant but she didn't, she layed down the rules and that was that. Adhere or jog on. Evidently I adhered. Parents are to weak and scared these days so try to be friends and the children end up ruleing the roost. That's the problem. Not video games!

and how will they directly tax me??
i play luminary:rise of the goonzu
the company itself is korean (hopefully north so greedy american tax man keeps away for fear of nukes lol)
but im curious will they tax my in game currency (marbles)
or the in game money we purchase to buy things from item mall (Gcoins)

the first one i dont understand how they will tax (ALL marbles belong to NDOORS inc and can be retained by company when it wishes)
that means they gotta ask some koreans for the tax money and they will be told no
(and they will comply since they are powerless in other countrys in regards to taxes) N Korea ftw!

now Gcoins what we pay our real money for is different
they will possibly tax us by making us pay more for same amount of Gcoins
or same price for less Gcoins than before taxes were introduced

technically the most profitable "gamer tax" would be charge people to use PSn and Xbox LIVE and tax what they pay
i dont play on either since i get more pleasure playing my online game that you can interact with others
(its free to play for life only pay money in when you need something to give yourself an advantage over other players)
luminarys best features are

crafting system (making stuff)
realistic economy (just no rich ass bankers calling the shots)
shareholder system (use your shares to call the shots and select leader of town)
various item system (thousands upon thousands of different ones)
skills system (can farm or fish or mine or train horses or anything really)
PVP (person vs person)
GVG (guild or clan vs guild or clan)
town seige (town vs town)

reply to post by jude11

How about a kick in the mother effing ass tax. F the government.

Tired of this BS.

Ron Paul 2012 FFS.

Originally posted by DaTroof
This is actually a great idea.

Video games are destroying productivity, attention spans, literacy, and social interaction.

I'm all for banning video games altogether.

DaTroof has spoken and can now go back to his cave to read the bible.

Originally posted by Insearchofthetruth1987
and how will they directly tax me??
i play luminary:rise of the goonzu
the company itself is korean (hopefully north so greedy american tax man keeps away for fear of nukes lol)
but im curious will they tax my in game currency (marbles)
or the in game money we purchase to buy things from item mall (Gcoins)

the first one i dont understand how they will tax (ALL marbles belong to NDOORS inc and can be retained by company when it wishes)
that means they gotta ask some koreans for the tax money and they will be told no
(and they will comply since they are powerless in other countrys in regards to taxes) N Korea ftw!

now Gcoins what we pay our real money for is different
they will possibly tax us by making us pay more for same amount of Gcoins
or same price for less Gcoins than before taxes were introduced

technically the most profitable "gamer tax" would be charge people to use PSn and Xbox LIVE and tax what they pay

i dont play on either since i get more pleasure playing my online game that you can interact with others
(its free to play for life only pay money in when you need something to give yourself an advantage over other players)
luminarys best features are

crafting system (making stuff)
realistic economy (just no rich ass bankers calling the shots)
shareholder system (use your shares to call the shots and select leader of town)
various item system (thousands upon thousands of different ones)
skills system (can farm or fish or mine or train horses or anything really)
PVP (person vs person)
GVG (guild or clan vs guild or clan)
town seige (town vs town)

Here´s some valid points a big hurdles..
HOW?!?

Deposits shouldnt be taxed.
It´s when you WITHDRAW the fun begins.
I mean, money i use to BUY stuff INGAME
is probobly allready taxed. But the cash i
make ingame and THEN take out of game
is NEW money for ME...
And the only resonable system would be
for the GAMEDEVELOPER/OWNER to
issue anual reports on ACCOUNT holders
to the holders "IRS" in THEIR nation/contry..

Right?

1) Employer earns money, money is taxed.
2) Employer pays me money, money is taxed.
3) I buy a game with money, money is taxed.
4) I buy a monthly subscription to game with money, money is taxed.
5) I earn "fake money" in game, "fake money" is NOT taxed
6) I sell "fake money" for "real money", money is taxed (income)
7) I buy a game with money, money is taxed
8) ...

Seriously yo. Haven't we beaten the money to death? Replace money with dollar, then it gets kinda weird.

I mean, if you tax the dollar/money. Eventually there is no dollar/money left, due to being expunged for tax purposes.

They might hide this well, but they can not hide the effect. So, what is it time for? More taxes

I will not pay these taxes. Come and get me IRS! Better have a high level, cause I will smoke any newb that tries to get me. Wait!! I am saved! I play Star Trek online! And we all know (should all know) that Trek is communist, so no money! Take that Taxie...I mean Captain Taxie!