Valve hits back at New York lawsuit claiming loot boxes are illegal gambling

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Valve has publicly addressed a lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General. The lawsuit alleges that the loot boxes in some of Valve’s games break state laws related to gambling.

This case involves the loot boxes – often called crates, cases, or chests – found in Valve games like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2. In a statement to players on March 11, 2026, Valve announced they dispute the claims and intend to fight them in court.

The company states they’ve been in talks with the New York Attorney General’s office since the beginning of 2023, discussing how their systems operate, even before the lawsuit began.

Valve compares loot boxes to Pokemon cards and other collectibles

Valve explained that the way loot boxes work in their games is comparable to traditional collectible items you can buy in stores.

The company compared its product to collectible items like baseball, Pokemon, and Magic cards, as well as Labubu blind boxes, noting that all of these also contain random items.

Valve explained to the New York Attorney General that loot boxes in their games are similar to collectible items people have been buying for generations, like baseball cards and surprise toys. These items are often opened in packs or blind bags, and people commonly trade or sell what they get.

Valve highlighted that all items received from in-game mystery boxes are purely cosmetic and don’t affect how the game is played.

Valve emphasizes that players can fully enjoy their games without ever buying loot boxes. The vast majority of players do just that – they play the games without opening any boxes. Since the items inside are only for appearance, not gameplay, there’s no penalty for choosing not to spend money.

Allowing players to trade or sell digital game items benefits consumers. It’s similar to how people can sell or trade physical collectibles, like Pokémon or baseball cards, giving them value even after they’re no longer needed.

Valve announced that the New York Attorney General is proposing a rule that would prevent users from reselling or trading digital items. Valve stated they will not comply with this proposal.

Valve denies gambling claims and pushes back on violence comments

Valve disputes accusations that its platforms break gambling laws and points to its efforts to fight unauthorized gambling sites.

The company announced it has secured over a million Steam accounts linked to illegal activities like gambling, fraud, and stolen items from Valve games. They’ve also implemented tools like reversing trades and adding trade delays to make it harder for gambling websites to function.

So, Valve just put out a statement saying they have absolutely no involvement with gambling websites. They also responded to the New York Attorney General bringing up the idea that video games might cause real-world violence – basically, they’re distancing themselves from that whole conversation too.

Research over many years consistently shows that there’s no connection between media like movies, TV shows, books, comics, music, and video games and violent behavior in the real world. In fact, many studies suggest that video games can actually have positive effects on players.

Valve said it will follow any new laws New York passes about loot boxes, but believes the Attorney General is asking for more than what the current laws allow.

“Ultimately, a court will decide whose position, ours or NYAG’s, is correct.”

Following a lawsuit from the New York Attorney General, Valve is now facing a second legal challenge over loot boxes. Additionally, a UK claim alleges Steam sold music without the necessary permissions.

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2026-03-11 21:19