Breaking: Valve update TO requirements to ban skins gambling, case opening sites from jerseys, all events

Two days ago, Valve pushed a significant update to the Tournament Operating Requirements (TOR) while also amending their Limited Game Tournament License, further restricting companies that use Valve IP in an unauthorized manner (for example game case opening sites or skin trading sites) from operating in the esports ecosystem.

The update forces Unranked events to align with Ranked events in not featuring any logos, promotion, activations, or advertisements for game case opening sites, skins trading sites, or skins gambling sites.

Additionally, as per the Limited Game Tournament License, tournament organizers are required to "not distribute or display, including on team jerseys or in any other content that may be visible during the broadcast, any content or material that either violates Valve IP or the terms of the Steam Subscriber Agreement."

In other words, tournament organizers are required to bar teams from promoting skins sites (Skin.Club and SkinRave being popular examples) via their team apparel at events.

This change could have significant impact on Counter-Strike esports ecosystem as a number of top teams are sponsored by skins sites and have their brands in prominent locations on their jerseys.

However, it appears that teams did have some degree of advanced warning as a number of teams omitted their skins sponsor logos from their jerseys for the StarLadder Budapest Major, although other teams may have to play catch-up.