Counter-Strike 2 is not only a popular game but also a popular category on Twitch. An investigation found that almost half of all top streamers in the CS2 category are sponsored by skin gambling sites. This is actually prohibited in Twitch’s guidelines.
What is skin gambling? In Counter-Strike, it is possible to acquire different skins for weapons. They are mostly hidden in loot boxes that can be purchased for real money. The rarity of the skin determines the value at which the skin can be resold.
Some websites act like online casinos where these skins are used as currency and can also be won. On third-party sites, these skins can then be converted into real money sales. Since only skins and not real money can be won at online casinos, they operate in a legal gray area.
When Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was updated to Counter-Strike 2, there were some changes. We present them to you in the video:
Skin Gambling on Twitch
What was the investigation about? The magazine Barron’s closely examined these online casinos related to CS2 and the extent to which they ran ads on Google. By placing ads on Google, a total of 56 million page views were generated.
What is the situation with skin gambling on Twitch? As part of this research, Barron’s also looked at Twitch streamers in the CS2 area. The investigation found that a total of 120 of the 300 top streamers in the CS2 sector are sponsored by such a gambling site. That’s 40%.
This poses a danger, especially for a younger audience, as children are exposed to the topic of gambling far too early. At the same time, it is presented to them as something harmless, and they can develop a gambling addiction from it.
What is Twitch doing about it? It is stated in the Twitch guidelines that the promotion and sponsorship of skin gambling is prohibited. Twitch does not officially comment on the conditions on their platform. However, users of the platform can report relevant streams.
Counter-Strike 2 is one of the largest games of all time. Since the release of CS:GO in 2000, the game has enjoyed a large player base and has established itself in the e-sports scene. Originally, Counter-Strike was created by two students, one of whom says he is glad he sold it.
