Valve has a message for the Washington State Gambling Commission in response to its recent inquiries regarding skins betting on Counter Strike: Global Offensive, “We don’t facilitate gambling.”
The message was made in response to a recent letter from the Commission asking/telling the video game giant to, “…immediately stop allowing the transfer of virtual weapons known as ‘skins’ for gambling activities through the company’s Steam Platform.”
Valve’s letter, which was originally viewed by reporters at PC Gamer, lays out an argument that separates Valve from the entire gambling industry and, specifically, the websites that actually do facilitate skins gambling saying:
We do not want to turn off the Steam services, described above, that skin gambling sites have taken advantage of. In-game items, Steam trading, and OpenID have substantial benefits for Steam customers and Steam game-making partners. We do not believe it is the Commission’s intention, nor is it within the Commission’s authority, to turn off lawful commercial and communication services that are not directed to gambling in Washington.
The video game giant went on to point out that it does not appear to be in violation of any Washington State ordinances and challenged the Commission to point out any laws it thought Valve was breaking.
Valve’s defiant tone towards Washington State gaming regulators doesn’t meant the company isn’t taking the issue of skins betting lightly. Later in the letter it’s pointed out that Valve has already shut down its relationship with more than 40 website that are engaged in real-money skins betting.
Washington is the first state gambling commission to take the skins betting issue, but it clearly won’t be the last.