"Except as expressly permitted through the Service, you agree that you cannot sell or otherwise transfer any of the Credits, Currants or Items, or any other content or information included in the Service to any user or other third party, including on Internet auction sites (e.g., eBay) or in return for anything of value(including "real" money) or otherwise."
Turning that around indicates you cannot buy a game item with real money.
Just assuming you are dealing with this:
It is too bad that the one thing I would trade for my yeti I am not allowed to (via terms of service) ask for.Posted 3 days ago by Shwan | Permalinkhttp://www.glitch.com/forum/marketplace/22079/#reply-236311
I understand the temptation.
*not a lawyer nor TS rep :)
I have spoken to TS about this as I was wanting to trade a 1 year Moly sub for a Glitchmas Yeti.
Even though they allow credits to be spent on furniture and traded in game they said no to subs.
I tried to find out why not since both have money going to TS with no real life currency swapping between players, but the response was that it's simply because that's how they would prefer things to be. Disappointing for me, and others that have wanted to do similar things, but the rules are the rules and TS get to make them anyway they choose :)
My guess is that, ultimately, it's difficult to police.
One of the other games I play basically says "We don't approve of it because if somebody scams you, you're scammed. We can't help, so don't complain to us. Having said that, we're not going to stop you if you want to risk it yourself. Just don't advertise it in the main channels."
Edit: On further thought, there're also potential legal issues involves, though I can't actually think of any cases in the US involving real cash and virtual assets in a similar situation. Most of the time these cases come up involve something like assault or fraud.
Basically, if you trade credit furniture for items, that's an in-game item for an in-game item. Trading subs for items is trading real-world money for items and that's what's not allowed. It's a subtle difference, but there it is.
Upgrading furniture with credits then selling it for currents is also pretty limited by how much upgraded furniture can be sold so even if it's an indirect way to turn real money to currents it its more limited and difficult that subs or real money transactions.