In a landmark decision by an Austrian court, cases in the game Counter-Strike 2 have been classified as illegal gambling. Valve, the developers of the game, are required to refund a user an amount of €14,096.58 for opened cases.
This decision follows a similar case in which FIFA loot boxes were deemed gambling in a lawsuit against Sony and EA. Notably, although the decision has not yet become legally effective, it could potentially jeopardize tens of millions of euros in annual sales.
Citing the source Games Wirtschaft, it's indicated that Valve's chances of a successful appeal are extremely low, given previous user-favorable rulings in similar cases.
Recalling a five-year-old case in the USA, when parents attempted to initiate a class-action lawsuit against Valve with similar allegations, which did not succeed. However, the current case shows that Valve continues to face legal problems related to gambling in video games.
In short, Valve faces new challenges where they are currently in a losing situation. However, we all understand that for Valve, this is just a drop in the ocean.
Comments