Valve is rolling out changes to its Tournament Operating Requirements and Limited Game Tournament License. The company has tightened the rules around Counter-Strike 2 competitions.
The new framework directly affects how organizers and teams can use Valve’s intellectual property. Valve no longer allows sponsorships connected to skin gambling, case-opening, or trading platforms. Moving forward, jerseys in both Ranked and Unranked events must be free of such promotions, and broadcasts cannot display their logos or advertisements.
The revised tournament license of Valve makes clear that organizers can no longer promote nor sign agreements with sponsors connected to skin gambling, case-opening, or trading platforms.
Jerseys, broadcasts, and any other visible content should remain free of material that breaches Valve’s intellectual property rules. They must also comply with the Steam Subscriber Agreement. They don’t cover every type of gambling while the restrictions are strong.
Traditional betting companies not linked to skins remain unaffected. This means that their sponsorships can continue. First reported by Dust2.us, numerous teams had relied heavily on collaborations with skin-related operators. Their logos were once prominently featured during major events. This update is expected to change the CS2 scene.
The official Limited Game Tournament License, Section 2.4.e of Valve – IP Protection, states that licensees should not distribute or display any content that violates Valve IP or the Steam Subscriber Agreement. This includes team jerseys or any other content visible during the broadcast. For example, game case opening sites or skin trading sites. Licensee will not accept sponsorships from sponsors that generate revenue by activities that violate applicable Valve agreements or violate local law or rely on Valve’s game economies.
As teams and organizers adjust, the complete effect of new rules of Valve isn’t clear yet. NRG dropped its SkinRave sponsor at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. On the other hand, Aurora Gaming removed CSFAIL from their jerseys.
