Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Sees Massive Growth and Potential Trouble for Betting Sites
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a team based game, has experienced significant growth recently. This can be attributed to the announcement of $1,000,000 major tournaments sponsored by Valve, the game’s publisher. However, betting sites have played a crucial role in the game’s growth since its humble beginnings. But now, these sites may face trouble due to US state laws cracking down on sites similar to them.
Fantasy betting sites like Draftkings and Vulcun have been affected by the outlaw of fantasy betting in some US states, such as Illinois and New York. Although not operating in the exact same way, sites like CSGOJackpot, CSGOLounge, and CSGOFast could soon face a similar fate.
These betting sites have not taken the necessary precautions to fight underage gambling in their customer-base. Despite targeting a demographic primarily composed of teenagers, they have failed to address the issue of underage gambling. This is a serious offense in the United States, with strict laws stating the minimum age for gambling.
The legality of skin betting sites depends on their location of operation. Since they are found online, they technically operate worldwide, leading to varying rulings. The purpose and operation of the sites play a crucial role in determining their legality, but courts in many US states have yet to address this matter directly. While skin betting may fall under the same category as fantasy betting, it continues to operate in a gray area for now.
The reason why these sites can operate freely is due to the absence of a real defined currency/tangible value for CS:GO skins. Although they can be sold for currency, there is no law that assigns a real value to virtual items like CS:GO skins. However, the specifics of how these sites operate could influence the court’s opinion on defining them as having real-life value. It ultimately depends on how the court perceives these “virtual items” in relation to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006. The federal court has the authority to determine whether these virtual items violate the act.
For now, we must wait and see. These betting sites operate on a precarious line, and they could face consequences under federal law. As the United States continues its crackdown on gambling, skin betting may suffer the same fate as other fantasy betting sites. While these sites operate globally, violating US laws would be disastrous given their large American user base. Currently, there are no laws explicitly addressing the standing of these sites regarding underage gambling and the real value of the items used for betting. However, it would be wise for them to stop or restructure before it’s too late.