Since when did rules/laws start mattering for vc-backed startups? Continue paying fines until you're large enough to bribe, I mean lobby, for the law to change. It's just cost of doing business.
It's very difficult to go after/shut down sites that breach ToS like this. See nearly every gold-selling site for any MMORPG in existence. They do sometimes get shutdown eventually but typically after many years and they often re-open with a new brand name.
Honestly it's just bittersweet that YC does due dilligence like this for gaming startups. I mean some of them are cool businesses (like this one), but I'm a little salty since selling items not through steam is absolutely against valve's TOS. Remember that startup that wanted to do an mmo with thousands of players, VR etc etc and the demo was a compilation of free assets in UE4..?
I think that GamerPay might be in the clear, but they require Web API keys from users. The terms [1] of those keys don't seem to allow for sharing API keys with third parties like this:
>
2. License to Steam Web API & Steam Data. Subject to these Terms of Use, you may access the Steam Web API, implement the Steam Web API in your Application, and distribute Steam Data to end users for their personal use via your Application, all in accordance with the Steam Web API documentation. This license is subject to the following restrictions: [snip]
> You agree to keep your Steam Web API key confidential, and not to share it with any third party. This license is personal to you and specific to your Application. You agree that you will be personally responsible for the use of your Steam Web API key.
When you request an API key from Steam they ask you to include the domain of your application. GamerPay instructs users to just put their own username in that field.
It's very difficult to go after/shut down sites that breach ToS like this. See nearly every gold-selling site for any MMORPG in existence. They do sometimes get shutdown eventually but typically after many years and they often re-open with a new brand name.