New York State Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against Valve Corporation, the creator of games such as Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2. She accuses the company of promoting illegal gambling through the so-called loot box system, which are virtual crates with random contents. According to the complaint, this mechanism constitutes the "quintessence of gambling" and violates both the New York State Constitution and criminal law. The lawsuit demands a permanent cessation of promoting these features, restitution of "unfairly obtained profits," and payment of fines.

Lawsuit Over Gambling for Children

Attorney General Letitia James accuses Valve of directing gambling mechanics at children and teenagers, pointing to its particularly harmful nature for this age group. The system is said to be addictive and exploits underage players.

Business Model Based on Randomness

The basis of the charges is the loot box system, where players pay real money for "keys" to open crates with random rewards, such as weapon skins. This process is compared to the operation of slot machines.

Multimillion-Dollar Profits and Secondary Market

Valve is alleged to have earned "billions of dollars" from this mechanic, including tens of millions from New York residents. The company derives additional profits from commissions on the sale of virtual items on its own Steam Community Market platform.

Legal Demands and Fines

The lawsuit requests a permanent ban on Valve promoting gambling features in games, restitution of all unfairly obtained benefits, and payment of fines for violating New York State law.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan state court against Valve Corporation, known for titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2. The company is accused of conducting and promoting illegal gambling through the so-called loot box mechanic. According to the lawsuit, this system constitutes the "quintessence of gambling" prohibited by the New York State constitution and criminal law. Players spend real money to purchase keys that allow them to open virtual crates with randomly assigned items, such as decorative weapon skins. Attorney General James emphasizes that this process in games like Counter-Strike deliberately mimics the operation of slot machines, with an animated, spinning wheel of fortune. „Valve has made billions of dollars by letting children and adults alike illegally gamble for the chance to win valuable virtual prizes. These features are addictive, harmful, and illegal.” — Letitia James The lawsuit indicates that Valve earned tens of millions of dollars solely from selling loot box keys to New York residents, with additional millions coming from commissions on secondary market transactions. The company enables players to resell won items on the Steam Community Market, which, according to the prosecution, further reinforces a business model based on randomness and encourages further spending. This mechanic is considered particularly dangerous because Valve's games enjoy immense popularity among children and teenagers. In the lawsuit, a request was made to permanently block Valve from promoting gambling features, restitution of "unfairly obtained benefits," and payment of fines. The case is being heard in New York State court and could set a precedent for the entire video game industry, forcing other major publishers to revise similar monetization models.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the exploitative nature of the mechanic towards children and the need to protect consumers from practices compared to gambling. Critics from the right may point to excessive state interference in the market and question whether virtual items of a purely cosmetic nature have real economic value.

Mentioned People

  • Letitia James — New York State Attorney General who filed the lawsuit against Valve.