A new report on gaming skin gambling claims minors frequently gamble using skins as currency on illegal websites. 

TrustPlay surveyed 1,530 US gamers about their experiences with skin gambling. Of 918 gamers who own tradeable skins, 432, just over 47%, said they have used them on third-party gambling sites.

The gamblers used in-game items from games like Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 to bet on casino-style games, esports matches, or case openings. 

The majority (72.1%) reported losing money, with an average loss of $1,100. A total of 9% lost over $5,000, with some reporting losses exceeding $10,000.

One respondent said, “I discovered a site where you could deposit skins, get credit for them, and bet on a simulated roulette machine. I was doing it for a few weeks, but I always ended up losing my money because I made bigger and bigger bets wanting to win back my losses.”

Teenagers Admit To Underage Gambling

Of the 432 that said they have participated in skins gambling, 43.5% (188) admitted to starting gambling under the age of 18. 

Another gamer said, “Everyone played CS, and everyone gambled when I was young (13-14 years old). All we talked about was betting skins on CS:GO Lounge for esports games.”

A 2019 UK study found that 11-to-14-year-olds were more than twice as likely to gamble with skins as 22-to-24-year-olds—and that 67% of young people considered it normal for their peers to do so.

This week, Arizona has launched a campaign against underage gambling, warning that teenagers are easily able to access a range of gambling platforms. 

In the TrustPlay survey, 76.1% of parents were unaware that their children were gambling. 

Gambling Sites Continue Operating Despite Crackdowns

The UK recently conducted a review of skin gambling, warning that the industry lacks regulatory enforcement. 

Valve has previously issued cease-and-desist letters to 23 sites that allow users to gamble using items from its games; however, the TrustPlay report stated that most operators ignored the orders. 

Survey respondents said gaming companies should take more responsibility for skins gambling. One commented, “A lot of the games with tradeable skins are from Valve, so I think they have a huge part in this being possible at all.” 

Valve takes a 15% commission on every skin sold through its marketplace. It recently banned skins gambling sites from sponsoring tournaments. Twitch has also taken action, noting its ban on gambling includes skins gambling. 

The TrustPlay report argues that while these actions are a step in the right direction, they don’t prevent individual players, particularly minors, from accessing the sites.

It adds that more should be done to ensure that skin gambling sites have the same protections and age verification processes as regulated gambling platforms.