"CS:GO" and "DOTA 2" Lounges recently shut down betting due to the cease and desist letter forwarded by Valve. According to the game developer, the gambling sites were a risk for young players and children who could easily bet online.
The "DOTA 2" Lounges continued their operations after the crackdown by Valve, and provided some changes in the operations, such as excluding some regions and only allowing those at least 18 years old to play. The "DOTA 2" Lounge may have legally continued if only players followed the new rules. However, it was announced that the "CS:GO" and "DOTA 2" Lounges will no longer be operational.
LazyGamer reported that, in a statement by founder Borewik, the Lounges informed players that they closed their virtual items' betting functionality immediately on Aug. 17, 2016. Depositing virtual items and skins to put a bet is no longer possible. Currently, they are allegedly working on a possible solution for the items withdrawal and will be providing an update soon. Lounge will still go on as an e-Sports entertainment and information platform and they will set up new features in the near future.
ESportsBettingReport stated that at the time of the announcement, there were still several wagering listings for various professional e-sports matches, including "DOTA 2," on the website. It is still uncertain whether the popular skin trading function will also be removed. The recent news actually surprised several "DOTA 2" gamers, since the previous announcement only indicated that skin betting will be discontinued in 16 countries and five territories worldwide.
Most likely, the "DOTA 2" Lounge felt the immense pressure from Valve. Other rumors circulated that there may be some conflicts of interest within the company after majority shares in Lounge were purchased.
The "DOTA 2" and "CS:GO" Lounges were very effective in building the e-Sports industry. These have been the main platforms for cosmetic trading in the past few years and players will most likely feel the void after the recent shut down. There will certainly be a number of consequences for the gaming community. More updates and details on the "DOTA 2" and "CS:GO" Lounges are expected soon.
