[dragonwriter]

> They are only "transmitting money" in the same way that people who buy things from Amazon or eBay are when they buy products.

Per the FinCEN guidance on virtual currencies [1], " An administrator or exchanger that [...] buys or sells convertible virtual currency for any reason is a money transmitter under FinCEN's regulations, unless a limitation to or exemption from the definition applies to the person."

So, no, the situation isn't the same in the eyes of the federal regulator, and its not really surprising that state regulators whose scope of authority is set by the federal rules view things the same way as the federal regulators.

[1] http://fincen.gov/statutes_regs/guidance/html/FIN-2013-G001....