Rhetorical Analysis: Underage Gambling in Counter-Strike

In 2017, ESPN sports writer Shaun Assael published an article titled “Skin in the Game: How Counter-Strike Turned a Teenager into a Compulsive Gambler” to minimal fanfare. At the time, few people were interested in the newly emerging gambling crisis that stemmed from the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Gambling hadn’t yet become so prevalent within the gaming community, and discussions about gambling in most circles were met with indifference (Assael 1). The author artfully employs the YouTube personalities of Trevor Martin and Tom Cassel as a rhetorical device to delve into the origins of gambling within the popular video game, Counter-Strike. By weaving their stories into the narrative, Assael not only sheds light on how gambling became intertwined with this gaming phenomenon but also examines the broader implications on the gaming community at large. Their involvement serves as a lens through which readers can better understand the cultural and ethical repercussions of gambling in gaming, highlighting the transformative and sometimes controversial impact it has had on players and gaming culture. Years later, in 2024, Nick Devor published an article for Barron’s that details the gambling process within Counter-Strike and its community, and details many of the ways in which participants in this crisis bend the rules of the platforms they call home in order to “[peddle] gambling to kids” (Houngoungagne). The purpose of the text is straightforward: Nick Devor seeks to inform a generally unaware public about the nature of skin gambling and the systems that enable the gambling scene within the scope of video games broadly, and more specifically Counter-Strike.

Nick Devor accomplishes their purpose through appeals to logic. How many of these gamblers are underage? According to a UK study cited by Devor, roughly ten percent of all minors in the United Kingdom have participated in skin betting in some way. Devor goes on to highlight this number further by detailing the operations of 73 individual gambling websites that are connected to Counter-Strike through Valve’s application programming interface—or API, and which perform little to no know-your-customer verification (Devor 1). Devor strengthens this point by going into the numbers, clarifying that, of the several-hundred-million Counter-Strike players, a vast number of them are verifiably under the legal gambling age in their jurisdictions. In his appeal, Devor points out that regulators in the US, in Washington state, have attempted in the past to crack down on gambling in the space of video games but have had little success, pointing to prosecutors who refuse to take up cases because they are not likely to be successfully prosecuted (Devor 1).

Nick Devor’s article is almost entirely an appeal to logic, an exercise of Logos, and makes its points very clearly. This is in slight contrast to Shaun Assael’s ESPN article, which takes a more sympathetic tone and heavily appeals to emotion—an exercise of Pathos. Assael uses the story of a teenager, Elijah Ballard, to explore how the existence and perpetuation of gambling in the Counter-Strike community has affected its players, particularly on the younger end of the spectrum. Through Elijah’s experiences, Assael paints a vivid picture of the vulnerability of young players who often find themselves drawn into gambling through in-game purchases and the allure of winning valuable skins, which can be traded or sold for real money. The narrative emphasizes the psychological impact on these young individuals who may not fully grasp the consequences of their actions or the addictive nature of gambling. Elijah’s story serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating how easily young gamers can be ensnared in gambling habits due to the seamless integration of gambling mechanics within the gaming environment (Assael 1). The author goes beyond merely recounting Elijah’s experiences by delving into the systemic issues that facilitate such practices, including lack of regulations and the normalization of gambling within the gaming subculture. This exploration is crucial in understanding how the Counter-Strike community has become a breeding ground for gambling, affecting the lives of many young players and raising ethical questions about the responsibilities of game developers and the gaming platform, Steam (Assael 1). By highlighting Elijah’s journey, Assael brings attention to the urgent need for awareness and intervention to protect young gamers from the potentially detrimental effects of gambling, making a compelling case for reform in how gaming communities handle this pervasive issue.

Both Shaun Assael and Nick Devor’s articles highlight the pervasive and deeply concerning issue of gambling within the Counter-Strike community and beyond. Assael’s emotionally charged narrative underscores the vulnerability of young gamers and the ethical responsibilities that game developers and platforms like Steam must confront. His main argument revolves around the emotional impact of gambling on young players, using Elijah Ballard’s story as a poignant example of how easily minors can fall prey to these practices. Conversely, Devor’s methodical and data-driven approach exposes the sheer scale of the problem and the inadequacies of current regulatory efforts. He focuses on the logical aspect, detailing the systemic issues and the significant number of minors involved in gambling through Counter-Strike, emphasizing the failure of existing measures to adequately address this crisis. Both authors call for heightened awareness and more stringent interventions to mitigate the risks posed to young players. Their combined insights underscore a critical need for reform and vigilance to safeguard the integrity and well-being of gaming communities worldwide.

References

Assael, Shaun. “Skin in the Game.” ESPN, 2017/01/20. https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18510975/how-counter-strike-turned-teenager-compulsive-gambler

Coffeezilla. “Deception, Lies, and Valve.” YouTube, 2024/12/26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13eiDhuvM6Y

Devor, Nick. “Counter-Strike Is One of the World’s Most Successful Videogames. How It Also Became a Gateway to Gambling.” Barron’s, 2024/02/23. https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/counter-strike-csgo-skins-gambling-gateway-videogames-b21ceef0

Houngoungagne. “The Dark Reality Behind CSGO. (Illegal Gambling, lies and addiction) Part 1.” YouTube, 2023/07/25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT17l53Fkj0