Question is, what is it for except a pain in the ass. If you do not know what I am talking about, this is the point in time it becomes impossible to gather items, a gatherer will just start damaging items even when you win the mini game. I expected to see what it was about in the ask the devs about gathering, but there wasn't.
I have heard from players it is to combat RMT, however I remember a post in the beta saying that it had something to do with the way you gathered, not to combat RMT.