Comment by bell-cot

> How did Visa & Mastercard manage...

I'd bet a combination of:

- Got through before the red tape ramparts were nearly as thick as today

- Ungentle arm-twisting by the US Gov't... at Visa & Mastercard's behest

- Amply greased palms... which can't be traced to Visa or Mastercard. At least not in any jurisdiction which would do anything about it.