This is not a policing issue, or an economic issue. This is a moral issue.

If nobody buys gil, the gilsellers will disappear within a month. They will be left with zero dollars, and a bunch of millionaire mules with Scrambled Names.

I have never bought gil in fifteen years of playing FFXI daily. My total contribution to gilsellers is $0. This is how you defeat gilsellers.

Back in 2004, especially among the BST75 community of which I was a proud member, Gilbuyers were considered cheats and cowards, and Gilsellers were considered the lowest form of life.

Gilsellers were not only loathed because they corrupted the new players and unbalanced the stratified achievement system, but also because they were bad at playing games. Gilsellers famously died all the time and failed hard against easy NMs. They sucked at gaming. It was an endless source of amusement to me and my BST75 pals.

I might have MPKed gilsellers a lot on my BST, or I might not have done so. You have to talk to my lawyer about that.

I think it is healthy and morally puissant to look down on gilsellers, to despise them, and to never give them your dollars.

You are not an elite legendary player if you buy gil, or if you buy progress / gear from mercs. You are an elite legendary player if you earn the gil and earn the progress / gear yourself, or with your adventuring friends.

This is a philosophical stance, and it used to be the norm. It was normal to feel resentment towards people who cheat, or those who facilitate cheating.

Ultimately, morals have changed, and that is a Player Side problem.