Valve Being Sued for Running Illegal Gambling via CSGO Crates - Polidicks

[quote]However it appears that the value of these digital goods haven't been restricted to this according to a [URL="http://www.polygon.com/2016/6/23/12020154/counter-strike-csgo-illegal-gambling-lawsuit-weapon-skins-valve"]report[/URL] by Polygon. A lawsuit filed on behalf of Connecticut resident Michael John McLeod alleges that Valve and third-party sites (CSGO Diamonds, CSGO Lounge and OPSkins) which allow "[B]knowingly allowed, supported, and/or sponsored illegal gambling by allowing millions of Americans to link their individual Steam accounts to third- party websites.[/B]" The aforementioned websites, the suit says, skins for CS:GO, which can be purchased from Valve, "can ... easily be traded and used as collateral for bets."[/quote] [url]http://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/news/valve-sued-for-promoting-illegal-gambling-in-counter-strike-global-offensive-853288[/url]

good, they deserve it tbh

Oh. Yeah VALVe will win this. Was thinking that someone finally decided to argue the crate system is gambling, but it's just about a third party site that you can log in via steam with. They aren't responsible for the content on the sites using that API anymore than Twitter or Facebook would be.

Well that has severe implications for the online economies are a ton of games. If Valve loses that case, [I]every single game[/I] using the crate system will have to stop. Hopefully games like Overwatch elect to halt sales of crates so you can still get the free ones, so it isn't considered gambling.

Guys, it's not the crates, it's the sites that let you gamble items. Valve is being sued because the prosecution thinks they're responsible since it has Login with Steam API Edit: Really awful title. Should change it, they don't run the gamble sites and this isn't about crates

[quote]"Valve owns the league, sells the casino chips, and receives a piece of the casino's income stream through foreign websites in order to maintain the charade that Valve is not promoting and profiting from online gambling, like a modern-day Captain Renault from Casablanca," the suit alleges.[/quote] lol

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;50589180]Well that has severe implications for the online economies are a ton of games. If Valve loses that case, [I]every single game[/I] using the crate system will have to stop. Hopefully games like Overwatch elect to halt sales of crates so you can still get the free ones, so it isn't considered gambling.[/QUOTE] not really, you cant trade on overwatch.

[QUOTE=eirexe;50589206]lol[/QUOTE] But it's true. The only way to get keys is to buy them from Valve; Trading doesn't count, since they were still bought from Valve. Indirectly or not, Valve is profiting from the trading websites

If they went after the crates they'd have a leg to stand on. But this is not really Valves problem. Weither it should be on a moral level is another matter entirely.

Someone should go after the crares themselves.

[QUOTE=Fr3ddi3;50589240]If they went after the crates they'd have a leg to stand on. But this is not really Valves problem. Weither it should be on a moral level is another matter entirely.[/QUOTE] It is Valve's problem. The case is about them knowingly facilitating and allowing illegal gambling on their services and not doing anything to stop it. If this were a murder case, Valve would be an accessory to the crime.

Good it's about time valve gets slapped with some common sense.

misleading title (probably on purpose) they're getting sued because some dumbass gambled on some CSGO gambling site and lost, and he's trying to get the money back by suing valve

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;50589180]Well that has severe implications for the online economies are a ton of games. If Valve loses that case, [I]every single game[/I] using the crate system will have to stop. Hopefully games like Overwatch elect to halt sales of crates so you can still get the free ones, so it isn't considered gambling.[/QUOTE] You're not even in the right ballpark on what this lawsuit is about.

[quote]McLeod says he purchased CS:GO skins to gamble, both as a minor and an adult, and lost money. He's seeking unspecified damages, and his lawyers are gearing up for a class-action lawsuit, which could be extremely expensive for Valve.[/quote] Great, a moron and a sore loser. I say hes an idiot for getting involved and that he's only doing this because he didn't win, and not because it's moral. If him blaming valve causes them to add even more bullshit padding to the systems for tf2 and steam trading that negatively effect users it's an injustice. It's disappointing this was about a 3rd party idiot cull and not an argument to abolish crate micros.

How else am I supposed to make hundreds for basically nothing?

[QUOTE=sb27;50589294]It is Valve's problem. The case is about them knowingly facilitating and allowing illegal gambling on their services and not doing anything to stop it. If this were a murder case, Valve would be an accessory to the crime.[/QUOTE] [url]https://steamcommunity.com/dev[/url]

[QUOTE=VenomousBeetle;50589204]Guys, it's not the crates, it's the sites that let you gamble items. Valve is being sued because the prosecution thinks they're responsible since it has Login with Steam API[/QUOTE] steam gives the login api away for free without any signup or anything valve doesn't have to approve it at all, and i'm pretty sure it also says that valve isn't affiliated with the site when you try to log in so if that's his backing, he has nothing

[quote]You may not use the Steam Web API or Steam Data for unsolicited marketing communications.[/quote] [quote]You may not present the Steam Data (or permit the Steam Data to be presented) so that it appears (a) that your Application is endorsed or affiliated with Valve or Steam, or (b) to be available from a third party.[/quote] [url]http://steamcommunity.com/dev/apiterms[/url]

[QUOTE=VenomousBeetle;50589348][url]https://steamcommunity.com/dev[/url][/QUOTE] It doesn't matter if such a tool was created for third parties. If those third parties are using them for illegal activities, and if Valve is aware of that fact and does not reasonably attempt to prevent such activities, Valve may be guilty of being an accessory to those illegal activities.

its not illegal activities though, that's the point since you're gambling money instead of actual money (and since there's no objective monetary value) it isn't technically considered gambling

[QUOTE=Untouch;50589390]its not illegal activities though, that's the point[/QUOTE] Gambling items worth real life money isn't illegal, apparently

Honestly, anyone who states this isn't gambling would be lieing to themselves. Virtual items with no material value, are opened with other virtual items that cost RL currency, in order to do a slot machine type deal which gives someone another virtual item, which has it's worth primarily based around RNG with values placed into it to influence the price of certain items. Now you add the fact that Valve makes 5% to 25% cuts in profits of certain items, as well as marketplace cut, and you are seriously looking at one of the largest "Non-Casino" type gambling systems possible, and Valve is able to get around it, primarily because their only [I]influence[/I] on the system is selling items on a shop and taking percent cuts from business ventures created by players. Another massive problem is that with the recent introduction of BC exchange on the Steam Marketplace, you'll start to see Valve bankroll even larger amounts of money. Hell, I wouldn't be suprised if Valve swithced most of their money transactions to BitCoin, as it's a far more profitable venture, considering that a $1 USD increase in Bitcoin Value means you effectively make money pop out of nowhere.

[QUOTE=hoodoo456;50589397]Gambling items worth real life money isn't illegal, apparently[/QUOTE] It's only worth real life money when people are willing to pay real money

thats the loophole they abuse, they technically don't have real world value anything can have real money attached to it

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;50589407]Honestly, anyone who states this isn't gambling would be lieing to themselves. Virtual items with no material value, are opened with other virtual items that cost RL currency, in order to do a slot machine type deal which gives someone another virtual item, which has it's worth primarily based around RNG with values placed into it to influence the price of certain items. Now you add the fact that Valve makes 5% to 25% cuts in profits of certain items, as well as marketplace cut, and you are seriously looking at one of the largest "Non-Casino" type gambling systems possible, and Valve is able to get around it, primarily because their only [I]influence[/I] on the system is selling items on a shop and taking percent cuts from business ventures created by players. Another massive problem is that with the recent introduction of BC exchange on the Steam Marketplace, you'll start to see Valve bankroll even larger amounts of money. Hell, I wouldn't be suprised if Valve swithced most of their money transactions to BitCoin, as it's a far more profitable venture, considering that a $1 USD increase in Bitcoin Value means you effectively make money pop out of nowhere.[/QUOTE] FFS people the suit isn't about keys, it's about websites made by community members to gamble away your skins

[QUOTE=VenomousBeetle;50589414]It's only worth real life money when people are willing to pay real money[/QUOTE] Which people are for these items.

[QUOTE=sb27;50589380]It doesn't matter if such a tool was created for third parties. If those third parties are using them for illegal activities, and if Valve is aware of that fact and does not reasonably attempt to prevent such activities, Valve may be guilty of being an accessory to those illegal activities.[/QUOTE] So if I find something "illegal" on a website that has a "connect with Facebook" or "login with Facebook" or "sign in with Facebook" API I should sue Facebook?

[QUOTE=sb27;50589294]It is Valve's problem. The case is about them knowingly facilitating and allowing illegal gambling on their services and not doing anything to stop it. If this were a murder case, Valve would be an accessory to the crime.[/QUOTE] Some 3rd party sites are illegal in some states of some countries in some cases, wow what a huge neglectence. Watch how valve declares their lack of relationship and fact they don't facilitate real money trading and in to the garbage the case goes.

[QUOTE=hoodoo456;50589430]Which people are for these items.[/QUOTE] One time a guy I knew bought Pokemon trades off of eBay. We've got to restrict Pokemon so it can't be used for gambling, and we gotta sue Nintendo to stop it [editline]24th June 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Cold;50589447]Some 3rd party sites are illegal in some states of some countries in some cases, wow what a huge neglectence. Watch how valve declares their lack of relationship and fact they don't facilitate real money trading and in to the garbage the case goes.[/QUOTE] Pretty sure they essentially tell you to go away if you try to complain about a paypal charge back because they specifically don't endorse that kind of trade. You can't trade money inside of the trade window.