Steam clamping down on CSGO Betting Sites

[DieGrootHammer]

These sites do not access the accounts by themselves. They have to accessed, given permission through numerous safe guards by the user of the account before it has access. There are 1000000's of sites where you can check stats of your Steam account, NOT used for trading or anything like that. So it is not possible for steam never mind valve, to track and trace these 10 or so sites that exploit the skins.
Valve did indeed create the product. There was no other external factor involved. An economy is created by the people using the product. Demand and supply principle basically.

It comes down the the Websites should have an extra Safe Guard to allow only people older than 18 to use this site.
But that is the Problem with the Internet, that is not possible as there are so many loop holes.
So why not just file a lawsuit against the Internet if you can't keep track of what your kid is gambling away on your credit card =D

Hmmmm, you got me by the short and curlies there my friend...I must admit, you do make a very valid point.

But I cannot help but stick to my convictions that think that Valve could have done something to ensure there ultimately highly valuable currency called CS:GO skins cannot go out into the wild, where people will inevitably take advantage of the available information for personal gain. Sure, let the stats behind Steam accounts be accessible, but why should the statistics of highly valuable items be available to such an extent that they are exploited.

Ultimately, Steam and CS:GO's size and market share dominance is what is against it. It simply cannot do the same as other platforms or other services. It has to be much more responsible with the data and the access to that data it has. Maybe that is too much to ask from Steam, considering the size of what I am suggesting, but surely some big-picture thinking had to go into the creation of these skins and the share of information thereof, and someone had to realize that if they make it possible for that info to get out into the open, even through user acceptance, it will open up users to exploitation. Again, hence why I still feel why Valve is indirectly to blame.

[Flex]

Hmmmm, you got me by the short and curlies there my friend...I must admit, you do make a very valid point.

But I cannot help but stick to my convictions that think that Valve could have done something to ensure there ultimately highly valuable currency called CS:GO skins cannot go out into the wild, where people will inevitably take advantage of the available information for personal gain. Sure, let the stats behind Steam accounts be accessible, but why should the statistics of highly valuable items be available to such an extent that they are exploited.

Ultimately, Steam and CS:GO's size and market share dominance is what is against it. It simply cannot do the same as other platforms or other services. It has to be much more responsible with the data and the access to that data it has. Maybe that is too much to ask from Steam, considering the size of what I am suggesting, but surely some big-picture thinking had to go into the creation of these skins and the share of information thereof, and someone had to realize that if they make it possible for that info to get out into the open, even through user acceptance, it will open up users to exploitation. Again, hence why I still feel why Valve is indirectly to blame.

The only thing that I can think of that Steam can do is to make ALL items Binding. In other words that once you get an item, you are not able to sell, buy or trade it for anything. Whether it may be real money, virtual items or any other kind of currency. That is the only thing I can see that Steam can do. They already have all the other measures in place to make this as difficult as possible with all the Steam Guards and layers upon layers of authentication processes. But I do agree with the fact that Steam should indeed take some sort of responsibility

[DieGrootHammer]

The only thing that I can think of that Steam can do is to make ALL items Binding. In other words that once you get an item, you are not able to sell, buy or trade it for anything. Whether it may be real money, virtual items or any other kind of currency. That is the only thing I can see that Steam can do. They already have all the other measures in place to make this as difficult as possible with all the Steam Guards and layers upon layers of authentication processes. But I do agree with the fact that Steam should indeed take some sort of responsibility

Does that mean I win?!?!?!?!

Lol only joking, there are no winners in debates like these.

Or, what Valve can do is just cherry pick what info is synced once you give access to a site to access your account. It doesn't need to get access to details about micro-transaction, or any other transactions on profiles. But all of these are suggestions, and if we had the answer as to what Steam can do, I'm sure we would be super rich.

[Jagtiger]

I've just read one of documents for a class lawsuit.

There is more than to 'providing API'.

It sums up as follows:

1) Steam knowingly provided support for these websites - it means they are part of this.
2) Steam 'encouraged' to gamble (via their forums).
3) Steam intended this to turn into casino-like by design.
4) Operation without appropriate permits.

[Flex]

An update on this

Valve will be taking action on these sites