eSports skin betting giant tightens operational conduct

One of the biggest eSports skin betting sites, CSGOLounge, appears to have reacted by tightening controls to threats by tournament and games company Valve against gambling via skins.

Online media reports indicate that after going off-line for four hours this week the site returned to functionality with an announcement from founder Robert Borewik that it is to limit betting to users from countries where eSports betting is specifically legal, eschewing its former practice of accepting skin bets worldwide and without qualification.

The announcement said that users from 18 countries—including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Belgium, Scotland, Turkey and Israel would be impacted by the new restrictions, but would still be able to deposit and withdraw skins.

CSGOLounge also revealed that it is to seek a real-money betting licence, although it did not elaborate on the possibility.

CSGOLounge was one of 23 eSports companies warned off gambling by Valve last (July) month on grounds that permitting such activity violated its terms and conditions.

The warning gave such sites 10 days to cease and desist. It is reported that more than half the sites so warned have since shut down, and that a second warning to a further 19 sites was sent out this week (see previous reports).

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