Counter-strike pros banned from gambling on Valve-sponsored matches

Counter-strike: Global Offensive developer Valve has ruled that professional players cannot place bets on matches, even if they're not participating.

Valve-sponsored Counter-strike tournaments and events are now subject to Valve's rules regarding gambling on matches.

"Professional players, teams, and anyone involved in the production of CS:GO events, should under no circumstances gamble on CS:GO matches, associate with high volume CS:GO gamblers, or deliver information to others that might influence their CS:GO bets," Valve wrote in a post on the Counter-strike blog.

Valve said professional players, event managers and event production staff commonly have personal relationships or privileged information about other teams and players, and as such, Valve must assume they have inside information, granting an unfair advantage when placing bets.

"Betting using inside information, or even the perception or suspicion thereof, carries a significant risk of damaging your personal brand, your team, your community, and may lead to exclusion from future Valve-sponsored events," the developer said.

"To avoid these risks, we recommend that you never bet on any CS:GO game or match. This recommendation applies both to current professional players and anyone who wishes to participate in a Valve-sponsored CS:GO event in the future."

Valve further exhorted players to remember that they are ambassadors for their teams - and also their game, eSports and video games in general, by the way. No pressure.