Valve Reminds International Players that Gambling is Prohibited

Valve Reminds International Players that Gambling is Prohibited

Otomo

2 Aug, 2024, 11:41

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Last updated: 9 Apr, 2025, 14:33

The International 13 is almost here and once more the best teams in the world will be competing against each other to lift the Aegis.

Every year at The International, Valve welcomes teams with a letter congratulating them on their success. This year's letter is no different, although it also includes some advice for players on how to conduct themselves during the event.


Valve reveals that 500 million Dota 2 games are played in a year

That's a lot of Dota 2.
We proudly contributed about 700 games to that!

Valve shared some interesting information in their letter to players, including how many matches are played a year.

People play nearly 500 million games of Dota 2 a year. That works out to 1,369,863 games a day. Now that's a lot of Dota!

This makes it all the more impressive that these 16 teams are the best in the world. Valve congratulates the players on their achievement and reminds them that they are professionals.

Valve goes on to say that the players represent themselves, their teams, the game, and the Dota 2 community as well. They expect players to conduct themselves to the highest standards, in-game and during interviews.

Valve informs players that Gambling is not allowed

Dota 2 Matchmaking and MMR
Play fair everyone. (Credit: Valve)

The Dota 2 world has had it's share of scandals revolving around betting. Teams have thrown matches after betting on the opposing side. It's an issue that has impacted the scene from amateur leagues all the way to players at The International.

Valve is explicit in their letter to players that gambling of any sort is not allowed at The International, "Do not bet on matches at The International, whether they're your games or not. Do not collude with other players or other organizations."

Fair play is the heart of every sport, and that leaves no room for throwing matches.

Dota 2 is full of interesting mechanics and abilities. Because of that, some unintended interactions often occur that may or may not be allowed. Valve informed players that if they are unsure if a certain tactic is a bug or not, then they should ask.

If the interaction is intended, Valve won't share the information. And if it is a bug, Valve will inform other teams, so they avoid using it in future games.

The International 13 starts on September 3rd. Dota 2 fans can watch the games live on Twitch.

READ MORE: Valve Will No Longer Work on The International

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