CSGO skin gambling may face intensified scrutiny due to Valve’s updated Steam guidelines. The popular FPS game enables various trading options and CSGO skin transactions, which could potentially violate the revised Steam conduct rules and result in account sanctions.
Valve’s announcement comes amid a record number of CSGO case openings and anticipation for Counter-Strike 2.
The Evolution of CSGO Skin Gambling
Over time, CSGO skin gambling has taken on numerous forms. Players can use skins earned in Counter-Strike Global Offensive similarly to how cash or chips are used in casinos, betting with skins as a form of currency.
Another prevalent form of skin gambling is “public pot” or “pot” betting, where players contribute their skins to a communal pool, and an automated system chooses one winner to receive all submitted skins.
Valve’s concerns stem from gambling websites requiring access to users’ unique Steam information. Certain CSGO skin gambling services only allow transactions through the Steam application programming interface (API), requiring players to share their Steam account data for the gambling transaction to be processed within the Steam platform.
Valve’s History with CSGO Gambling Sites
In 2016, Valve initiated legal action against CSGO gambling sites like CSGOLounge and CSGOLotto, which demanded access to the Steam API. The value of CSGO skins partially depends on the availability of gambling services; the more opportunities players have to gamble with their skins, the higher the demand for CSGO skins, encouraging players to invest in case openings.
Now, Valve has updated its Steam conduct guidelines, specifically addressing gambling. Valve states, “As a Steam subscriber, you agree to abide by the following conduct rules,” and lists “commercial activities” that violate Steam guidelines, including “posting advertisements; running contests; gambling; buying or selling Steam accounts; selling content, gift cards, or other items; and begging.”
While the previous guidelines didn’t explicitly mention gambling, the update may indicate a renewed emphasis on regulating this activity as Valve transitions from CSGO to Counter-Strike 2.
The Impact of the Updated Guidelines
Since it’s possible to engage in some forms of CSGO skin gambling without accessing the Steam API, the updated guidelines may not signal a broader crackdown on skin gambling. Instead, they might represent Valve’s reaffirmation of its existing principles.
Valve explains in an accompanying announcement, “These updates are intended to add context and specificity to how we already apply these in practice to all behaviors and content across Steam.”
This suggests that rather than adopting a stricter stance on CSGO skin gambling, Valve aims to publicize and clarify its current regulations.
CSGO Market Boom
The CSGO market has experienced a significant surge recently, with a record number of cases opened in April 2023. This growth is attributed to Valve’s official ‘Anubis’ skins release and the esports-related stickers from the Paris Major CSGO tournament.
It remains uncertain whether Valve’s revised Steam guidelines, explicitly prohibiting gambling on the platform, will impact the thriving CSGO market.
