ACMA blocks CSGORoll over illegal skins gambling

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has blocked Feral Holdings Limited’s CSGORoll website for allowing punters to play for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) items.

The digital gaming firm was issued a formal warning by the ACMA after it was found to be providing access to prohibited interactive gambling services via CSGORoll.

The site allows players to exchange CS:GO ‘skins’ for in-game coins that can be used to bet on casino-style games. Players then receive their winnings from the game in the form of skins which can then be sold for real money via third-party platforms.

According to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, providing casino-style online games where players use money or any other valuable item is illegal in Australia.

Gaming skins are aesthetic items that allow players to change the appearance of their characters or virtual items in video games. They can be won in games or bought through a third party and, depending on their rarity, can be worth a considerable amount of money, with some going for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Nerida O’Loughlin, the ACMA’s chair, noted that gambling sites that operate in Australia are required to adhere to the country’s gambling laws regardless of whether virtual items or actual money are used. She also cited a concern that the use of skins as gambling currency could attract underaged players.

“Providing casino-style games online is prohibited in Australia when playing for money or something of value, whether that’s Australian dollars, cryptocurrency or in this case, online gaming skins,” O’Loughlin explained.

“Skins gambling services are particularly concerning as they tap into a youth market and have the potential to convert gamers into gamblers.”

More gambling news