South Australian senator Nick Xenophon is asking the country’s government to ban underage players from accessing online video sites offering controversial so-called “skin gambling”.
The independent politician said he would like to see changes made to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 designed to stamp out underage gambling linked to popular multiplayer first-person shooter games.
Much of the concern has centred around unregulated gambling sites linked to the hugely popular first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Since 2013, when the game introduced its updated Arms Deal feature, players have been able to collect virtual weapons in the game known as “skins”. The virtual items are afforded a value within the game related to their rarity ranging from less than a dollar up to $2,000.
They can be bartered, bought or sold in the game’s online marketplace, called Steam, can be used as gambling chips on third-party websites running casino-style games or can be used to bet on the outcome of professional video game matches. Via these third-party services, players are able to turn their skins into real-world money.
