Just a note to say Strafe does not condone or recommend Skins gambling. Instead, we invite you to check out the below legal eSports betting sites for a safe experience.
1.
$25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
2.
30 SCs on 1st Purchase + 4.5 SCs FREE
3.
$5 No Deposit + 250 GameCoins + 600 Diamonds
4.
1,000 ($10) No Deposit Free Coins + 360,000 Gold Coins + $8 FREE Coins
5.
Day 5: 2 bonus packages $25 = 30,000 LC + 30 SC, $100 = 120,000 LC + 120 SC
There Are Similar, and Better Options Out There!
Skins betting is a concept that is completely unique to eSports betting. It first came to prominence through the game CS:GO, but quickly caught on with other eSports games.
With the rise of cash gambling, some people believe that skins betting is becoming a thing of the past. Can it still be done and is it still legal? These are just a couple of the questions we’ll answer for you here. We'll also offer you some suitable equivalents and alternatives to the CS:GO skin betting sites.
Skins Betting - Is it Legal?
For those of you who are unfamiliar, skins gambling is a form of gambling that uses virtual goods, currencies, and other in-game items as the stake instead of cash. The creation and uptake of skins gambling can almost claim to be single-handedly responsible for the rise of CS:GO as one of the biggest eSports in the world - with it now being an eSports cash betting favorite as well as the CS:GO bet skins.
The rise of skins betting was sharp and fast, however the drop was equally as steep. As more and more of the skins gambling market got pushed into the underground economy, regulating it became near impossible - with a big issue meaning there was little-to-no way of ensuring safe payments and protecting underage players from the CSGO skin gamble sites, among others.
Is Skin Betting Still Possible Today?
It wasn’t too long before the lawsuits started to come and global governments and gambling regulators stepped in, from Washington DC to the Isle of Man and the Dutch gaming authority. Valve, the developer of CS:GO, faced several lawsuits and increasingly struggled to regulate skins gambling between professional and amateur gamers. As a result, skins gambling is now completely banned under their terms of use.
With CS:GO and most other sports, skins gambling in its original form has largely become a thing of the past - but not completely. That’s why we’ll run you through the remaining CS:GO betting sites & best alternatives to CSGO skins gamble. There are still many illegal skin betting sites out there, which we urge you to avoid. If you want to keep in check with the legal issues surrounding eSports betting in general, then check out our eSports legal betting guide here.
Where Can You Still Find Legal CSGO Skins Gamble?
Back in 2017, the Isle of Man became the first regulator to include skin betting within the realms of its gambling license and regulation regime. The first legal skin betting license was granted was handed to ESP.bet in August of 2017, and today there are still a handful of others, including Luckbox.
Skins Betting - The Isle of Man License
Does this mean that you have to move to this remote island off the coast of England to have legal CSGO skin betting? It depends on where you’re actually from. If you’re from Canada, India, or multiple countries in Europe, including Sweden and Poland, then you can legally use all of the services that a licensed overseas gambling site offers. Therefore, if a site legally holds a valid Isle of Man skin betting license with skin betting included, you’re free to do so safely.
CS:GO Skin Betting Sites in the UK
Despite its close proximity to the Isle of Man, gamers in the UK cannot engage in skin betting legally via a website licensed by the Isle of Man. This is because UK gambling laws prevent UK customers from signing up for and using gambling sites with overseas licenses. Therefore, in order to use a gambling site legally in the UK, it must have a UKGC license, which doesn’t include skin gambling.
UK eSports fans do have a clear alternative avenue however, as the UKGC has included eSports gambling for real money within the same rules and regulations as it has for traditional sports. As a UK customer, you can therefore place legal eSports bets inside the sportsbooks of the top UK licensed gambling sites as found in our eSports Betting Guide.
The Risks of CS:GO Skin Betting Sites — Best Alternatives to CSGO Skin Gamble
When skin betting first came about, its rapid rise and development were so fast that global governments and gambling regulators struggled to keep up. For starters, it went under their radar for so long that by the time they were even aware of it, things were already out of control. Underage gamers were able to engage in skins betting, people were getting ripped off, and the lack of official, regulated platforms meant that everything quickly moved into the back market.
Thankfully, this unregulated chaos is (mostly) all in the past, with the majority of governments and regulatory gambling bodies choosing to outlaw skin gambling altogether. There are, of course, exceptions, with the most notable being the Isle of Man license, which chose to bring skins betting under its remit.
CS:GO Bet Skins - What’s the Status in 2023?
As we alluded to above, there are a number of unregulated skin betting sites that we urge you to stay away from. Some of them might look legit and well put together, but we wouldn’t let that fool you. Not only is skin betting (or any form of betting for that matter) with unregulated sites illegal - you also cannot be assured that your funds and data are safe.
There are, however still some legal CSGO skin betting sites as well as alternatives to skin betting and other eSports gambling avenues for you to explore. If you come from a gambling background but don’t know your eSports, or come from an eSports background but don’t know your gambling, you can check out our Guide to eSports Bookies for Beginners.
Who Still Offers Legal CS:GO Skin Betting?
There are several CS:GO skin betting sites that still offer some form of legal skins betting. However, if you’re looking for a more general betting platform sites, such as Luckbox are your best bet. Luckbox holds an Isle of Man gambling license, which allows the operator to offer both skin betting and real money eSports betting. This, in our opinion, offers you the best of both worlds, as you don’t have to put all of your eggs in one basket.
The Isle of Man licensed site is available to customers in overseas countries, including Canada, India, and a handful of European nations. Some states in the US with legal sports wagering have chosen to include regulated CSGO skin betting with skins within their rules. Given the constantly changing landscape, though, there’s always a small risk, even with legal sites, as Valve are under pressure and could end up having to contact a site and freeze its operations.
Alternatives to Skins Betting
The best alternatives to skins betting are simply to bet legally and safely on eSports using real money. It may be a surprise to hear that real money betting is safer than virtual items from within a game, but the regulations and rules are far more set in stone. Moreover, you can place real money bets on eSports via trusted global betting brands, including Bet365, 888sport, and William Hill. UK Customers might want to consider looking at PuntGG and other such sites. Odds can be a little different to traditional sports betting, though, but you can check out our guide on how read eSports betting odds.
1.
$25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
2.
30 SCs on 1st Purchase + 4.5 SCs FREE
3.
$5 No Deposit + 250 GameCoins + 600 Diamonds
4.
1,000 ($10) No Deposit Free Coins + 360,000 Gold Coins + $8 FREE Coins
5.
Day 5: 2 bonus packages $25 = 30,000 LC + 30 SC, $100 = 120,000 LC + 120 SC
What’s the Verdict on CS:GO Skins Betting?
While there are legal avenues that allow you to engage in CS:GO skins betting relatively safely, we still recommend approaching with caution. As we mentioned, the landscape is constantly changing; therefore, it is likely that even the remaining legal operators will pose too much of a risk to Valve and the entire future of CSGO as an eSport. There is also the chance they could get it under control as well.
However, until we have some certainty, we advise betting on eSports legally using real money with a trusted and reputable licensed operator.
CS:GO Skin Betting Sites and the Best Alternatives to Skin Betting FAQ
🎮 Can you still bet CS:GO skins?
CS:GO bet skins have faced huge problems between 2016 and 2023. While many governments and gambling regulatory bodies have now sorted their house out and regulated it, many have chosen to outlaw them. It, therefore, really depends on where you are - which you can find out with us here at Strafe.
🔐 Is skins gambling legal?
Depends where you are, but generally speaking, a lot of governments and regulators have taken a hard line on skins gambling - more so than real money sports betting. This isn’t the case everywhere, and there is still a possibility of getting a legal license. Check out our skin betting guide for more information.
📱 What CS:GO skins sites are still up?
There are some. However, the majority are unregulated and should be avoided. That being said, the Isle of Man gambling license does include skin gambling with CS:GO, and a few sites are lucky enough to have this license. Find out about this and alternatives in our eSports betting guide at Strafe.
