Australian politician aiming to classify CS: GO and Dota 2 as gambling

Just when Valve thought it’s finished with the whole gambling business of CS: GO here comes new trouble. Apparently, a Senator in Australia is seeking to classify Valve’s games as online gambling tools.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon told the Sydney Morning Herald that the bill is looking to curtail what he considers to be “the Wild West of online gambling that is actually targeting kids.”

Xenophon argues that the in-game commodities known as “cases” is gambling in and of itself, due to the differing value of the rewards players receive from them. If the bill becomes law, it’s safe to assume that CS:GO’s rating would shift from its current MA 15+ rating to R18+, in compliance with the legal age of gambling in the country. This would mean that only adults could purchase the game, excluding younger players from buying the title.

If either game becomes classified as gambling, Valve would find itself in breach of Australian law as only companies registered in the country are allowed to offer gambling services, meaning the games could get pulled from sale in Australia altogether.