Three parents say their teenage sons were illegally lured into online gambling by Valve Corp., the creator of widely popular video games including Counter Strike: Global Offensive.

Plaintiffs G.G., A.L. and B.S. are parents of minor children who they say gambled away thousands of dollars on defendant Valve Corp.’s online gaming platforms. The parents allege Valve Corp. is in violation of the Washington Consumer Protection Act and specific state statutes that outlaw gambling.

According to the plaintiffs, Valve Corp. has set up an illegal online gambling ecosystem. This ecosystem is based on the company’s Steam Marketplace platform and incorporates online video games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive.

In these online video games, players can use real money to buy virtual weapons called “skins” that they can use while playing Counter Strike. Through Valve Corp.’s Steam platform, players can buy, sell and trade skins, and Valve Corp. takes a 15 percent fee for each skin sale.

But skins, as the plaintiffs tell it, also work like gambling chips. After purchasing skins for real money, players can use those skins to place online bets on professional Counter Strike matches.

Plaintiff G.G. says her son J.P. has lost more than $6,000 in skins since he started buying and gambling them at the age of 14. She alleges J.P. spent hundreds of dollars on skins, only to gamble them away on websites like Wild, Lotto, Big, CSGO Strong, and CSGO Sweep.

G.G. says the money J.P. lost was her own, because she gave J.P. money to purchase skins but had no idea he was using those skins for gambling.

Plaintiff E.B. was playing Steam Marketplace games as early as age 11 and began gambling with skins a couple years later. His mother, plaintiff B.S., says she had no idea E.B. was gambling online and would never have knowingly allowed him to do so. To date, E.B. has allegedly lost more than $3,000.

Plaintiff A.L. says his son C.L. entered the Steam Marketplace at age 14 and started playing Counter Strike about a year later. A.L. says he gave his son money to purchase skins and keys to cases that would provide access to other skins. A.L. says he would never have let C.L. participate in online gambling had he known that was what was going on.

The plaintiffs are proposing to represent a Class consisting of all persons in the U.S. who either purchased skins or are parents of children who purchased skins.

They seek restitution of all money wrongfully obtained by Valve Corp. through the alleged online gambling and a court order barring Valve Corp. from continuing to engage in the unlawful, unfair or deceptive practices complained of. They also seek awards of damages, court costs and attorneys’ fees, with pre- and post-judgment interest.

The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Kim D. Stephens and Jason T. Dennett of Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC, Jasper D. Ward IV, Alex C. Davis and Patrick Walsh of Jones Ward PLC, and Paul C. Whalen of the Law Office of Paul C. Whalen PC.

The Counter Strike Underage Gambling Class Action Lawsuit is G.G., et al. v. Valve Corp., Case No. 2:16-cv-01941, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

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