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A new study has raised fresh concerns about skin gambling in gaming, especially among young players. The report shows that many gamers, including minors, are using in-game items as money on illegal gambling websites.
TrustPlay surveyed 1,530 gamers in the United States to understand how common skin gambling is today. Out of the 918 gamers who own tradeable skins, 432 said they have used them on third-party gambling platforms. This means almost half of the players with skins have tried gambling with them.
These items, usually from games like Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2, are used as virtual currency. Players bet them on casino-style games, esports match results, and even case openings. Most players do not make a profit. In fact, 72% said they lost money, with the average loss around 1,100 dollars. Around 9% said they lost over 5,000 dollars, and a few even reported losing more than 10,000.
One gamer shared that they kept increasing their bets to recover earlier losses, but this only pushed them deeper into loss. This pattern matched many stories in the survey.
Underage Players Admit They Started Early
The survey also revealed a worrying trend. Out of the 432 people who gambled skins, 188 said they started before turning 18. Many admitted that they were just 13 or 14 years old when they first tried it.
This is not a new problem. A study from the UK in 2019 found that skin gambling was far more common among children between 11 and 14 compared to young adults. The culture around games like CS:GO made it feel normal for kids to gamble, especially when their friends were also involved.
Adding to the concern, 76% of parents said they did not even know their children were gambling. This shows how easily minors can access such sites without supervision.
Skin Gambling Sites Still Running Despite Warnings
Although there have been actions taken against skin gambling websites, many continue to operate. The UK recently reviewed the issue and noted that the industry has very little enforcement. Valve has previously sent cease-and-desist letters to gambling sites using skins from its games, but the report says many of these sites simply ignored the orders.
Some players believe game companies should take stronger steps. Since many popular skin-based games belong to Valve, they feel the company should play a bigger role in preventing gambling misuse. Valve currently earns a 15% commission on skins sold through its marketplace and has already banned skin-gambling sponsors from tournaments. Twitch has also included skin gambling under its gambling restrictions.
Even with these actions, the TrustPlay study says the problem continues for individual players. Many minors still reach these websites without any age checks or warnings.
Why This Issue Needs More Attention
The report suggests that skin gambling sites should follow the same age-verification rules used in regulated gambling. Without this, young gamers will keep accessing unsafe platforms. Experts also say that parents and gaming companies should work together to spread awareness and protect children.
This new data shows that the issue is much bigger than casual gaming. Skins have become a form of money, and young players are losing large amounts before they even understand the risks. With online gaming growing every year, the need for stronger safety measures has never been more important.
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