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Merchant-facing institutions translating network rules into investigation, acceptance and termination decisions
Mastercard acquirers are the financial institutions responsible for bringing merchants into the card network and meeting the network's merchant-compliance rules. This is a class of regulated commercial counterparties in the rulebook, not an identification of Steam's or itch.io's particular acquiring bank.
The anti-piracy policy requires investigations within specified periods and cessation of Mastercard acceptance for affirmatively infringing products, which need not mean termination of the entire merchant. Applicable termination can trigger MATCH reporting. The security rules also require merchant inquiries while expressly permitting onboarding despite a MATCH entry. Acquirers retain accuracy and reasonable-correction responsibilities even when work is delegated; response deadlines do not guarantee removal of an entry. These rulebook obligations do not establish an incident-specific notice or penalty in the Steam and itch.io dispute.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → Mastercard MATCH Pro
Section11.5 combines termination by merchant/acquirer with reason to believe a listed condition exists. Five calendar days runs from earlier listed decision/notice/awareness events, not effective termination; awareness is not detached from the opening condition.
Mastercard → Mastercard acquirers · rule scope
Policy requires acquirer investigation/reporting within2businessdays for law-enforcement evidence or5 for qualifying private referrals, with discretionary extensions. WIPO is not classified as law enforcement here; clocks are not added to WIPO notice periods.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → Mastercard MATCH Pro
Acquirers retain accuracy responsibility when delegating work; good faith, reason-code grounds and reasonable correction are required. Removal requests require a30calendar-day response, listing questions7; neither clock guarantees removal.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → Merchants and owners — MATCH rule scope
An affirmative policy finding requires ending Mastercard acceptance for the infringing product; negative findings require compelling evidence. Product cessation is not automatically full merchant termination.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → Merchants and owners — MATCH rule scope
Sections11.2/11.6.4 expressly allow onboarding notwithstanding a MATCH entry; mandatory inquiry does not require refusal. Each institution makes its own decision.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → Mastercard MATCH Pro
Anti-Piracy Policy conditionally requires MATCH notice if the acquirer terminates the merchant; no particular WIPO/Creative merchant report is established.
Mastercard → Mastercard acquirers · rule scope
Mastercard reserves interpretation/enforcement and possible membership restriction or sanctions for noncompliance. No exercised sanction in this packet.
Mastercard → Mastercard acquirers · rule scope
Rules dated 2025-06-03; §§5.1.2, 5.12.7
Pre-event rules assign acquirer responsibilities and provide brand-harm enforcement measures. No incident-specific notice or penalty recovered.
MATCH Pro: required information sharing, independent admission, and correction duties ↗
WIPO ALERT-PAY: participant confirmation and provider decision rights ↗
Mastercard → Network compliance obligations → Mastercard acquirers · rule scope
Rules dated 2025-06-03; §§5.1.2, 5.12.7
Pre-event rules assign acquirer responsibilities and provide brand-harm enforcement measures. No incident-specific notice or penalty recovered.
Mastercard → requires investigation and reporting → Mastercard acquirers · rule scope
Policy requires acquirer investigation/reporting within2businessdays for law-enforcement evidence or5 for qualifying private referrals, with discretionary extensions. WIPO is not classified as law enforcement here; clocks are not added to WIPO notice periods.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → must end acceptance for affirmatively infringing products → Merchants and owners — MATCH rule scope
An affirmative policy finding requires ending Mastercard acceptance for the infringing product; negative findings require compelling evidence. Product cessation is not automatically full merchant termination.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → must report applicable merchant termination → Mastercard MATCH Pro
Anti-Piracy Policy conditionally requires MATCH notice if the acquirer terminates the merchant; no particular WIPO/Creative merchant report is established.
Mastercard → retains policy interpretation and membership sanctions → Mastercard acquirers · rule scope
Mastercard reserves interpretation/enforcement and possible membership restriction or sanctions for noncompliance. No exercised sanction in this packet.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → approve service-provider access within registration rules → MATCH authorized acquirers and service providers
Chapter11 requires relevant service-provider registration/provisioning and acquirer approval. No authorization was exercised by this inquiry.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → must report under qualifying termination triggers → Mastercard MATCH Pro
Section11.5 combines termination by merchant/acquirer with reason to believe a listed condition exists. Five calendar days runs from earlier listed decision/notice/awareness events, not effective termination; awareness is not detached from the opening condition.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → may admit a listed merchant → Merchants and owners — MATCH rule scope
Sections11.2/11.6.4 expressly allow onboarding notwithstanding a MATCH entry; mandatory inquiry does not require refusal. Each institution makes its own decision.
Mastercard acquirers · rule scope → retain accuracy and reasonable-correction responsibility → Mastercard MATCH Pro
Acquirers retain accuracy responsibility when delegating work; good faith, reason-code grounds and reasonable correction are required. Removal requests require a30calendar-day response, listing questions7; neither clock guarantees removal.