>Valve, the Bellevue video-game company behind the popular “Counterstrike: Global Offensive” is being sued for its role in the multibillion-dollar gambling economy that has fueled the game’s popularity.
>Michael John McLeod, a Fairfield, Conn., man who has been gambling on “CS: GO” since 2014, filed a lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut alleging that Valve violated gambling laws and engaged in racketeering with a handful of offshore gambling companies.
It's going to take years to go through any kind of lawful process. Also saged for e-celeb
Luke Sanders
>e-celeb
Are you retarded
Daniel Murphy
Never going anywhere
Andrew Morris
>a Fairfield, Conn., man >con man
nice try
Kayden Long
It'll take a while to go anywhere and I'd imagine valve will settle.
>e-celeb I'm pretty sure the guy suing them is some random guy.
Logan Lewis
>a con man is going to sue valve You really think this will go anywhere?
Landon Wright
Valve fucking deserves it. They bit the gambling bullet.
Oliver Brooks
>faggot decides to gamble >loses >WOOOOOOOOW TIME TO SUE A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY
Joseph Brooks
Thinking about it...the entire random drop/unboxing shit feels a lot like gambling.
You pay with a key (which has a pretty exact value in real money) to open a crate and receive an item that has a random value, which you can re-exchange into money.
If that's not gambling, what is?
Lucas Taylor
Are you both american? I'm curious because i notice americans have some really strange inherent despise against consumer trying to put corporations against a wall. It's that bad over there, are you all pre disposed to defend corps at all costs?
Parker Nelson
But the money is still inside their own system, kinda like Pachinko in Japan. Gambling is banned in Japan but Panchinko somehow is fine because you exchange tokens for prizes.
Chase Sanders
>2016 years after the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth >playing CS: GO
Ethan Cooper
That's not what this lawsuit is about.
Alexander Morris
It's called freedom you fucking shit skin
Zachary Lewis
I know, but it's a rather obvious case of gambling in a game made by Valve.
I have no idea about the specifics in the case mentioned by OP.
Nathan Bennett
In gambling you can possibly lose your entire wager. In Valve economy, you always get *something* even if it's not what you wanted.
It's just a digital version of those things you put quarters into at the grocery store, and maybe get a cool spider ring.
Levi Thomas
>calls someone shitskin >merifat is filled to the brim with niggers, spics an faggots lmao
Sebastian Barnes
Unless it's proven that Valve themselves encourage gambling, nothing will come of it.
Retards who choose to gamble with others on 3rd party sites deserve to get scammed/lose their shit.
Isaac Miller
>It's just a digital version of those things you put quarters into at the grocery store, and maybe get a cool spider ring.
I don't live in the US, aren't those banned over there? At least I'd assume so considering their laws in that department.
With Sony trying crowd-funding, it's obvious there is no end to the greed in the videogame industry. Since they feel they are invincible, companies are doing things that would get any other industry fined by the government.
Levi Ross
It has nothing to do with corporations. Americans despise irresponsible or exploitative shits who push blame onto others. These could be individuals going after a company ("I spilled coffee in my lap, pay for my suffering!" or "I wasnt paying attention and walked backwards at speed into an object and suffered no physical damage. Give me money!") or a company screwing over consumers or employees.
Elijah Sanchez
To be honest I guess I wouldn't notice if they were gone, but I've used one in at least the past few years.
Easton Sullivan
Lobbyists have prevented consumer rights from even existing in America. When you hear about anti-trust lawsuits against billion dollar corporations, it's almost always the EU responsible.
Jason Turner
This is retarded. That's like suing a tobacco company because someone is using cigarettes as an informal currency.
Christian Foster
Murica's blind favoritism of the "free market" really bites you guys in the ass though. Not the corporations mind but about 90% of the population.
Christopher Gomez
>this market has a gumball machine filled with prizes! >CALL THE GUBMINT Are you serious?
Jonathan James
Gaben has LITERALLY nothing to worry about so long as gambling apps for iOS have never been sued, MMOs have never been sued for pay2gamble RNG boxes, shit even goddam stores are doing 'Mystery Deals' where you pay a dollar and get a piece of shovelware not even worth 10 cents...
blaming Gaben because RU mobsters scammed you? What a fucking retard.
Daniel Bailey
I still can't believe Connecticut is an actual state. Sounds like an ISP.
Alexander Kelly
I think it's a legitiment question that the courts will have to answer.
It'll be neat for gamers if Valve has to reimburse everyone who opened Crates post Marketplace. I definitely do think that shit is no different than a damn Slot Machine.
Parker Wood
It has nothing to do with that. It's more about people not taking responsibility for their own actions and clogging the court system with frivolous lawsuits.
Of course that can be taken too far. People always remember the McDonald's coffee thing when they think of frivolous lawsuits, but in that case the court really did find that the coffee was too hot.
Jacob Torres
>"I spilled coffee in my lap, pay for my suffering!" In that case it actually was the fault of McDonalds though, considering the lid was secured wrong and the coffee was hot enough to cause 2-3rd degree burns.
Matthew Nelson
But that's nonsense. Just look at the kid that caused a rare gorilla to be murdered, and the kid that died at the Walt Disney World hotel lagoon.
The kid had no right to go into the gorilla enclosure, but the resort had a beach leading up to the lagoon, with no signs warning of alligators nearby.
Both were caused by the stupidity of parents, but one would be a viable lawsuit.
Parker Cruz
>retard puts unnecessary money on vidya >loses because they aren't obligated to regulate anything because it isn't official >waaaaaahhh how dare they support gambling better sue them
Muricans
Ian Adams
>Michael John McLeod, a Fairfield, Conn., man >Conn., man
Aaron Gomez
>spilled coffee in lap Nigga she got 3rd degree burns because they kept their coffee at 180°
Jacob Hughes
it probably varies at an extremely local city/county level, but time-stop and quarter cascade machines are huge business all over the country. they've always been huge draws in the last remaining traditional cascades, but over the past decade they've also effectively replaced stuffed-animal claw machines in a lot of places. And/or the claw machines themselves have all started offering ridiculously big-ticket prizes (generally electronics).
Landon Myers
>mixing rubber and gum why?
David Gutierrez
Unless its an AG suing them, this isn't going anywhere.
Thomas Baker
Widespread gambling always was a terrible idea.
Blake Reed
The same model is used in any game with a gacha system. Usually, it's not considered gambling when it's against the ToS to exchange goods for actual currency. Digital goods are supposed to have no worth outside of the in game economy but RMT puts an arbitrary real world value on them, which is why it's such a big issue. From what I got from the article, Valve is being accused of sending funds and support to betting sites that technically breach their ToS and directly enabling gambling, not for running a gacha.
Xavier Diaz
>spill coffee >don't get burned >sue for bringing you cold coffee
It's not about the details, it's about the intention to sue for every little fucking thing to get monies.
Adrian Young
About fucking time. All those RNG boxes, gachapon and other pieces of gambling shit should pay proper taxes or get shut down.
Brayden Martin
>Americans despise irresponsible or exploitative shits who push blame onto others. So... Valve and all of their measures put in place to shield them from gambling accusations?
Asher Torres
oh yeah and for every $300 knife skin that goes through CS:GO there's like 10,000 assholes paying to open gambling boxes in Overwatch hoping to get the skin they want for their waifu. Who is the bigger enabler of gambling?
Henry Bennett
No they're still popular Also claw machines which have been proven to only work 1 out of 20 times.
Brandon Jones
>e-celeb You must be joking, right?
A video game company being sued is now considered and e-celeb topic?
Julian Morris
Not surprised, the precedent set in the shutdown of all the e-sports betting sites, and fantasy sport leagues means that it's gonna shut this shit down, and may even shut down microtransactions in the near future, which means nothing good for gaming as companies will move on to what makes them money and stop bothering with the husk of what gaming once was.
Gavin Gonzalez
>gambling taxes ayy lmao
Joshua Moore
The difference is that cold coffee wouldn't cause burns. It's totally about the details because the 2nd-3rd burns is what caused her to win a settlement.
Seriously though, these kinds of microtransactions are disgusting.
Even minors can get into what is basically just gambling, it's exploitive and disgusting, which are words I don't use often
Doubt this lawsuit will do anything, but regulations are needed, badly.
Juan White
Do you know how many people play CSGO and DotA? Both companies are enablers but Valve is wayyy more invested in it. It's even spilling into third party games like KF2.
Ayden Cook
Had you read the case, you'd know that McDonalds was purposefully overheating the coffee and making it to higher temperatures than consumable.
William Reed
Honest question, why is gambling illegal in yankeestan?
Jonathan Murphy
Don't you all stop for a second to realize corps shouldn't take advantage of people that are mentally incapable to make the right choice? For example, in Valve particular case, they are selling these games to kids. Even adults fall prey to gambling and goes on a spiral. What chance a kid/teen has? It's really not far fetched.
Dylan Torres
But it is legal.
Kayden Ross
$0.03 Steam Wallet™ funds have been deposited into your Steam™ account.
Robert Johnson
A kid shouldn't be playing the game in the first place. It's M rated and the kid stated that all the details he provided are true, according to the EULA.
Camden Cooper
It depends where. It is becoming more and more legal. It's just a matter of whose pockets it lines. That's the only reason why it's illegal some places.
For example, in NY, it's only legal where the government officials were bribed.
Noah Brooks
Holy fuck.
Kayden Green
no, it's about megacorporations using thought-terminating-meme mind control to demonize and marginalize the idea of suing them.
>hot coffee case but the fact is the original >hot coffee case was a completely legitimate action. iirc the plaintiff didn't even originally seek the exorbinant damages that were finally paid, rather the judge and others used the case to draw attention to the raceteering-tier tactics mcdonalds had employed in fighting it (such as turning it into a media spectacle and demonizing the plaintiff). >hot coffee case is a thought-terminating meme. it's something you say, think, to help yourself stop thinking the things you've been taught not to think.
Jonathan Brown
My whole life I heard that playing poker for money with friends is illegal, Simpsons for one had this gag
Dylan Bennett
it's very legal.
so is online gambling. Online Poker with real money is also legal.
But the thing is we here in burgerstan have a law about it that says that you need to be 18+ to gamble, so like with alcohol or retail porn, you need a special permit to do it.
Unless you're a native american of course.
Brayden Smith
The article is not about gambling but about Valve's role in it.
See >From what I got from the article, Valve is being accused of sending funds and support to betting sites that technically breach their ToS and directly enabling gambling, not for running a gacha.
Bentley Gonzalez
dont spread disinfo fag mcdonalds was listed at fault because they served the coffee at past boiling levels. they had previous cases where they were listed at fault for similar injuries among their staff and customer because they intentionally kept it hotter than what is considered safe.
the original court ruling between mcdonalds and coffee lady actually said mcdonalds was only partly at fault and ordered to pay part of her medical fees. mcdonalds mishandling of the case is what caused them to get such an absurd price at the end
Jaxon Hall
>hot coffee Just play GTA San Andreas Hot Coffee Mod
Jack Cooper
OP's image is a bunch of cs gamers reacting to opening their crates.
It's an impactful image which fits his message. Does this make this thread e-celeb material?
I'm guessing you would be the same kind of person who would get upset if he posted an anime girl instead. Here, I'll give you one right now. Enjoy.
Asher Evans
>going after CS:.GO instead of TF2 crates DAMN IT
Christopher Sullivan
America bans Kinder Eggs because they have a plastic capsule inside them that contains a toy, so it's no surprise he asked.
Adam Smith
M rated is 17 and above. Is gambling legal at that age? Is acess to that system also rated? Is the control enough? Like i said, there's a good debate and case there. It just surprise me to how hostiles americans are when these suits happen. It's a completely legitimate legal debate to have.
Andrew Scott
Didn't the lady have to get fucking skin grafts on her legs because of the coffee? I'd call that fair game for lawsuits at that point easily anyways
Nathan Gray
...
Austin Barnes
A casino is in a zoned area, and people know to stay away.
Paying real money, for a chance at a digital item, in a game that you are playing in your own home, is an entirely different story. It should not exist.
Are you going to file a police report against your nine year old son for unauthorized credit card transactions tied to a game console?
Brayden Diaz
Then do you support underage accounts being banned? Even if you did, DotA 2 has a way larger playerbase with the same gambling issue, and that isn't even rated.
Liam King
DEATH TO VALVE
Joseph Diaz
Well that's because nobody can take a cut from it, then it's illegal. But it's not illegal the same way murder is illegal. There are regulations that allow it in the right places.
Tyler Torres
Gambling age is 18 in most states. 21 in big gambling states like Nevada, New Jersey, New York though
Lucas Johnson
What I don't get about the whole crate thing is that you had people laughing at others who would spend thousands on a gacha in Granblue only for a single unit, yet they would do the same for crates and whatnot for any other game. >CSGO will never have a scandal like the Antilla fiasco
Anthony Rogers
Her groin was badly burned. Not even joking.
Ethan Watson
This is pure retardism ONLINE GAMBLING IS NOT HEAVILY REGULATED, AND POLICE OFFICERS HARDLY "PROTECT AND SERVE THE LAW".
Angel Williams
it's 21 in most states, 18 in very few, though some states have exceptions like betting on races being allowed at 18. casino.org/us/guide/
Evan Walker
Sometimes I feel I have missed playing good games, and I have only played a few, then I see CS:GO fags and I feel much better.
There ar enot even having fun, the usual GO discussion is full of vile.
Matthew Garcia
Ganergate
Cameron Barnes
no, if my nine year old was using my credit card, I wouldn't right away go cry to my local congressman. I would realize that it was my fault for letting him use my credit card, try to undo the funds.
But if your kid is stealing your credit card to post funds on steam like a dipshit then I think you have bigger problems than the justice system to deal with.
Jason Clark
There's absolutely no way to regulate it except disable trading all together, or make it available in casino like zones for registered users who have to verify their age. There will always be gambling and trading with the pretense of "oh hey I just wanted to give that dude this thing because he's my friend"
Luis Lewis
RULES OF NATURE
Ryan Fisher
Good. Skins killed the CS:GO community. I hope Valve gets fucking wrecked over this.
Kevin Jenkins
They don't actually have much of a case. The items you get from the chests are inherently worthless, the players attach worth to them and engage in trading in an entirely unrestricted market. It'd be like suing McDonalds because some guy on the internet is buying one certain Happy Meal toy for 10k while the others are worth much less.
Kevin Roberts
No, they gave it life. CS:GO was dead and had less than 15,000 players on the best days before skins showed up.
Adam Martinez
>thinks gambling is illegal in the US >look out window >see a giant casino the skyline
Evan Howard
Yup, 8 days in the hospital. The heat could have also caused the coffee to warp the lid or cup, making it insecure.
Ethan Sanders
Pachinko has a skill element. Someone theoretically skillful enough can hit the bucket every time.
Gavin Kelly
That valve is enabling gambling sites because they use Steam identification service, which is like suing Google over Captcha if it is used on anything similar.
They actually missed the entire gambling part completely.
Not that is worth mentioning, but that guy admitted playing a M rated game when he was underaged. Not sure if there is anything tht can be done with that.
Tyler Morgan
>There's absolutely no way to regulate it except disable trading all together
No that's completely wrong. You just have to disable third party sites being able to access inventories.
>There will always be gambling and trading with the pretense of "oh hey I just wanted to give that dude this thing because he's my friend"
Gambling doesn't work like "i lost the bet so now i give you the thing". People aren't going to gamble if it requires a middleman. 90% of people automatically get sketched out by middlemen.
Mason Butler
this game was dead as soon as it started lmao, all it is is le skins and memes even tho biggest pro players have been outed as just guys who learned how to get away with aimbot
Robert Ross
Morelike America is rife with bullshit lawsuits
Grayson Ramirez
Why do so many faggots gamble? Anyone capable of basic math should realize that youre just going to loose money.