Valve Bans Skin Gambling and Case-Opening Ads Across All CS2 Tournaments

Valve has introduced a significant update to its tournament regulations, officially banning the promotion of skin-gambling platforms, case-opening services, and similar websites across all Counter-Strike 2 events. The updated Tournament Operating Requirements (TOR) and revised tournament license now impose stricter control over which brands can appear in broadcasts and on team jerseys.

According to the new rules, organizers are prohibited from displaying any logos, advertisements, or promotional materials connected to platforms that use Valve’s in-game economy without permission. The restrictions apply not only to major international championships but also to non-ranked and amateur events.

Tournament operators must now ensure that these prohibited logos do not appear:

• on team jerseys
• in broadcast graphics or overlays
• on event stages or advertising spaces

Valve also clarified that the ban extends beyond standard sponsorship limitations. Any sponsor that earns revenue from activities violating Steam agreements or using Valve’s IP without authorization is no longer allowed to support CS2 tournaments. This marks a notable shift, as many teams and regional events have relied on such sponsors for financial stability in recent years.

The impact of the new rules is already visible. At events such as the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, several organizations removed skin-gambling-related sponsor logos before the tournament even began.

Industry critics argue that the changes may significantly affect the financial landscape of lower-tier esports, where such sponsorships often served as one of the few available income sources. Meanwhile, many fans welcome the update as a step toward reducing the presence of grey-market economies and potentially harmful gambling influence in professional CS2.

Although Valve has not provided an extensive public explanation for the decision, industry experts believe the company aims to strengthen the protection of its intellectual property and minimize legal risks associated with promoting unregulated platforms that treat in-game items as currency.

These changes may mark a turning point for establishing a more formalized and transparent sponsorship ecosystem within professional CS2.