They should also not associate with high volume gamblers and should refrain from offering sensitive data

Feb 9, 2015 07:50 GMT  ·  By

Following a number of scandals linked to betting and cheating that have led to banning players, the team at Valve in charge of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive announces that it is strongly encouraging all players who are currently engaged with the game or plan to play professionally in the future to refrain from betting on any eSports matches that feature the title.

The information comes from an official blog on the company’s website and the justification for the new policy mentions the high standard of professional integrity the company demands from all players who engage with Valve products.

The company says that gambling is banned, as it is associated with high volume gambling and the transmission of info that could give anyone an advantage.

It’s unclear what “high volume gambling” means and how far the company will go to eliminate from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive those who offer info to family members or friends.

Valve adds, “Betting using inside information, or even the perception or suspicion thereof, carries a significant risk of damaging your personal brand, your team, your community, and may lead to exclusion from future Valve-sponsored events.”

eSports players of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are seen as ambassadors for the sport and that means their personal failures when it comes to match fixing and gambling carry risks for the entire eSports discipline.

The blog post does not detail punishments, but Valve will probably move quickly to ban all those who flaunt the rules and to make examples of them in the coming weeks.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has a thriving community

The shooter from Valve is continuously getting updates and events from Valve and has a solid community that follows competitive events and spends money on the title.

The most recent update has fixed a number of game crashes and has introduced changes to the maps, all of them based on the feedback offered by the community.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is just a part of the growing eSports world, and as more sponsors offer big prizes for events, it’s clear that other companies will have to decide on clear policies linked to match fixing and gambling and move quickly to make sure that all players abide by them.

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