A Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gambling site was the center of a controversy this past weekend when Steam temporarily blacklisted the link on its platform.
CSGO Lotto, a site where players gamble for expensive in-game skins using real money, has come under fire for accusations of misleading visitors. The controversy came about when it was revealed that two popular YouTubers have been promoting the site on their channels without disclosing that they actually own the business as well.
The blacklist happened when a team of volunteer moderators, tasked with evaluating the safety of such gambling sites, decided to warn players away from clicking on the link to CSGO Lotto from Steam. The original warning notice, which has since been removed, stated, “The URL you are attempting to log in to has been blocked by our moderators and staff. This site may be engaged in phishing, scamming, spamming, or delivering malware.”
Steam has since recalled the warning notice as the site was not found to be malicious in the way that the notice implied. And while CSGO Lotto is no longer being blacklisted, the attention brought to the site and the owners’ deception has raised the possibility of legal action over the matter.
