Company: GOLD
Filing Date: 2025-02-10
Form Type: 10-Q
Source: 0000950170-25-016909
Chunk: 229

Company: Gold.com, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-10
Form: 10-Q
Item: Item 8
Chunk 229
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 the effect of shielding us from class action liability. Our arbitration agreements do not generally have any impact on regulatory enforcement proceedings. We take the position that the arbitration provisions in loan and financing agreements, including class action waivers, are valid and enforceable; however, the enforceability of arbitration provisions is often challenged in court. If those challenges are successful, our arbitration and class action waiver provisions could be unenforceable, which could subject us to additional litigation, including class action litigation.

In addition, the U.S. Congress has considered legislation that would generally limit or prohibit mandatory arbitration agreements in consumer contracts and has enacted legislation with such a prohibition with respect to certain mortgage loan agreements and also certain consumer loan agreements to members of the military on active duty and their dependents. Further, the Dodd-Frank Act directed the CFPB to study consumer arbitration and authorized the CFPB to adopt rules limiting or prohibiting consumer arbitration, consistent with the results of its study. In July 2017, the CFPB issued a new rule on arbitration, which would have prohibited class action waivers in certain consumer financial services contracts. However, in November 2017, a joint resolution passed by Congress was signed disapproving the rule under the Congressional Review Act. Because the rule was disapproved, it cannot be reissued in substantially the same form, and the CFPB cannot issue a substantially similar rule, unless the new rule is specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of the joint resolution disapproving the original rule.

Any judicial decisions, legislation or other rules or regulations that impair our ability to enter into and enforce consumer arbitration agreements and class action waivers could increase our exposure to class action litigation as well as litigation in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions, which would be costly and could have a material adverse effect on our business. 

Our advertising and marketing materials and disclosures related to our Direct-to-Consumer and Secured Lending segments have been and continue to be subject to regulatory scrutiny.

In the jurisdictions where our Direct-to-Consumer and Secured Lending businesses operate, our advertising and marketing activities and disclosures are subject to regulation under various industry standards, borrower protection laws, and other applicable laws and regulations. As a whole, our advertising and marketing materials have come under increased scrutiny.

There can be no guarantee that we will be able to continue advertising and marketing our business units in a manner we consider effective. Any inability to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. 

Risks Relating to Our Common Stock

We may not continue to pay any dividends