Valve has officially restricted the promotion of skin-gambling platforms, case-opening services, and related websites across all Counter-Strike 2 events. The company introduced a significant update to its tournament regulations. The updated Tournament Operating Requirements (TOR) and revised tournament license impose stricter control over which brands can appear in broadcasts. They also regulate which brands can appear on team jerseys.
The new rules prohibit organizers from displaying any logos, advertisements, or promotional materials related to platforms that use Valve’s in-game economy without permission. The restrictions apply not only to major international championships but also to non-ranked and amateur events.
Tournament operators must ensure that these restricted logos do not appear on team jerseys. They also cannot appear in broadcast graphics or overlays, on event stages, or in advertising spaces.
It has also been clarified by Valve that the restriction extends beyond standard sponsorship limitations. The rules also ban any sponsor that earns revenue from activities violating Steam agreements or using Valve’s IP without authorization from supporting CS2 tournaments. Many teams and regional events have relied on such sponsors for financial stability in recent years. This represents a notable shift.
The new rules are already showing their impact. Numerous organizations removed skin-gambling-related sponsor logos before the tournament even started at events like the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
Industry critics argue that the changes may significantly affect the financial landscape of lower-tier esports. In these leagues, such sponsorships often serve as one of the few available income sources. On the other hand, many fans welcome the update. They see it as a step toward reducing grey-market economies and the potentially harmful influence of gambling in professional CS2.
Industry experts believe the company aims to strengthen protection of its intellectual property. They also think it wants to minimize legal risks tied to promoting unregulated platforms that treat in-game items as currency. Valve, however, has not provided an extensive public explanation for the decision.
For establishing a more formalized and transparent sponsorship ecosystem with professional CS2, these changes may mark a turning point.
