It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
avatar
Shadowstalker16: Well google didn't do any sort of endorsement and it didn't use google products or money from the google marketplace.
So if you gamble with real money you can sue the state?
avatar
anothername: Interesting. Would it reopen the "are lootboxes* gambling?" debate?

*
For the singleplayer only goggers:
WTF are lootboxes? Lootboxes (or other name variants like lootcrates, lockboxes etc) are common in several MMOs these days. Opening them has the slim chance for something really awesome to drop but usually requires a key-like-item which, at least initially, can only be bought in the ingame-store which could be bought by some special game related virtual currency which is acquired by real currency. In most MMOs these Boxes are considered to be one of if not the biggest moneymakers and, IIRC, has been denied the "Gambling" nature by courts possibly because the several steps between real money & lootbox.
avatar
nepundo: I had no idea about all this CS:GO stuff, but from what I've been learning after seeing this thread, the lootboxes "gambling" is the least "gambling" in the whole thing. What the real gambling sites offer rates as degenerate gambling in my book. You can just win/lose a whole inventory (which is actually money) in a matter of seconds.
Correct me if I'm wrong. The initiator where lootboxes in CS which give these skins their rare status which in turn gave them a $ tag, which is gambled on.

In the end I'm just curious if that leads to Chaos, Drama and Entertainment (reading about the Chaos that is :D ) on other unexpected sides or nothing at all. Especially how gaming studios react if all of the sudden they are not allowed to these boxes anymore; at least not in the profiteering ways they are now.
avatar
solzariv: Allegedly. Even if they turned a blind eye to it, it's not their responsibility in the first place.

Furthermore, there's no valid reason for gambling to be illegal among consenting adults. Lawmakers who outlaw it are in the moral wrong.
avatar
Darvond: Good thing it isn't like CS go isn't played by people who aren't adults.

Oh, wait.
Those said non-adults would need a credit card or debit card to not only buy the game but use the in-game market at all.
avatar
anothername: Correct me if I'm wrong. The initiator where lootboxes in CS which give these skins their rare status which in turn gave them a $ tag, which is gambled on.
This is true, however from the start Valve has always said any of the items you get remain property of Valve and are not to be sold for money. There is no way to do that within Steam, it's all done outside the Steam ecosystem. (The pachinko parlours are actually a good comparison there, although I don't know but wouldn't be surprised if the pachinko parlours are run by the same people)

So all Valve is guilty of is creating game items that are harder to get than others. It's pretty much the same concept CCG games use when you buy boosters which contain a random rarity of cards.
avatar
nepundo: I had no idea about all this CS:GO stuff, but from what I've been learning after seeing this thread, the lootboxes "gambling" is the least "gambling" in the whole thing. What the real gambling sites offer rates as degenerate gambling in my book. You can just win/lose a whole inventory (which is actually money) in a matter of seconds.
avatar
anothername: Correct me if I'm wrong. The initiator where lootboxes in CS which give these skins their rare status which in turn gave them a $ tag, which is gambled on.
Yes, everything starts with lootboxes, but please correct me likewise if I'm wrong (really, I was vaguely aware of the trading part of it, just tried to learn about the gambling today), it costs 2.5$ or something like that to buy a key and "gamble" by opening the box?

(I'm just keeping a lengthier part of my post for later, in case I'm really wrong about this.)
avatar
Shadowstalker16: Well google didn't do any sort of endorsement and it didn't use google products or money from the google marketplace.
avatar
JMich: Were the youtubers getting paid by youtube?
Not specifically for creating this type of video.
avatar
JMich: Were the youtubers getting paid by youtube?
avatar
Shadowstalker16: Not specifically for creating this type of video.
So Google was paying them money for the videos they were making, in some of which they were promoting an (illegal?) gambling site they owned?
avatar
Shadowstalker16: Well google didn't do any sort of endorsement and it didn't use google products or money from the google marketplace.
avatar
WBGhiro: So if you gamble with real money you can sue the state?
I don't know what t has to do with what I said, but I think gambling without age restrictions is illegal in many countries / states. You can't sue the state, but this all started out with the h3h3 guy's expose video where he said there was a class action lawsuit by parents against valve? This was the original video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8fU2QG-lV0 I'd take what he says with a grain of salt though since he seems to be intent on producing shock value.
What a waste of time to nitpick at arguments. These scammers are using the Steam API just like they are using YouTube. The money in your Steam Wallet can be used only on Steam Store and you can't take your money out of your Steam money (at least not from Valve).
avatar
Shadowstalker16: Not specifically for creating this type of video.
avatar
JMich: So Google was paying them money for the videos they were making, in some of which they were promoting an (illegal?) gambling site they owned?
They weren't paying them because of that specific type of video. What is this argument even about again? Ah yes. Steam / Valve gave more apparent endorsement to these sites than google did with the videos advertising these sites. Steam gave steam login option (which is easy to get as pointed out in this thread) and allowed the use of their marketplace items.

But yeah, I don't think illegality is established yet either since crates still haven't been ruled by any court to be gambling, but seeing as how these sites just aggregate the (expensive) items from the steam inventory and coin flip them, it probably will be regarded as it.
avatar
OlivawR: What a waste of time to nitpick at arguments. These scammers are using the Steam API just like they are using YouTube. The money in your Steam Wallet can be used only on Steam Store and you can't take your money out of your Steam money (at least not from Valve).
Yes. I used to look forward to the day one of the games I play would allow marketplace trading (it also has crates with random drops) and to buying CSGO itself this has dulled my enthusiasm for both.

Youtubers need to be held to account more. The old ''paid IGN 10 /10'' jokes are getting old and everyone knows them. But now, youtube's underbelly is clearer than ever and we find more and more people being exposed as two faced racketeers every day. Keep in mind also that many youtubers still partner with G2A. Even pewdiepie.
Post edited July 04, 2016 by Shadowstalker16
avatar
OlivawR: What a waste of time to nitpick at arguments. These scammers are using the Steam API just like they are using YouTube. The money in your Steam Wallet can be used only on Steam Store and you can't take your money out of your Steam money (at least not from Valve).
Actually using third party tools + valve API you can trade the cosmetic stuff for real money.
Valve has definitely some blame on this. The CSGO skin trade system just needs regulation.



Oh and this rabbit hole keeps on giving. (You can read much more on the thread)
avatar
neurasthenya: Actually using third party tools + valve API you can trade the cosmetic stuff for real money.
Valve has definitely some blame on this. The CSGO skin trade system just needs regulation.
No more than I can trade a person for his items and pay him paypal for it, how does that make it Valve's fault beyond Valve allowing people to trade items?
avatar
anothername: Correct me if I'm wrong. The initiator where lootboxes in CS which give these skins their rare status which in turn gave them a $ tag, which is gambled on.
avatar
nepundo: Yes, everything starts with lootboxes, but please correct me likewise if I'm wrong (really, I was vaguely aware of the trading part of it, just tried to learn about the gambling today), it costs 2.5$ or something like that to buy a key and "gamble" by opening the box?

(I'm just keeping a lengthier part of my post for later, in case I'm really wrong about this.)
I think 2.5 is a good overall assumption. Some might be more, some less. Its quite some time when I last got some in a game. And while I can indeed feel the "just one more" pull to try again if I pull a dud I'm "stable" enough to just try a certain fixed amount just for the sake of trying.

The problem is that a big deal of ppl don't stop. Search the web, you'll find examples everywhere where ppl had their negative experience for either their own or worse the their family members lack of restraint. And since it is based on a game of chance it does has its pull on ppl.

Just 2.5; sometimes even cheaper when they sell it in bulk ;)
Polygon posted an article.
avatar
neurasthenya: Actually using third party tools + valve API you can trade the cosmetic stuff for real money.
Valve has definitely some blame on this. The CSGO skin trade system just needs regulation.
avatar
Pheace: No more than I can trade a person for his items and pay him paypal for it, how does that make it Valve's fault beyond Valve allowing people to trade items?
http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-virtual-guns-counterstrike-gambling/