Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Valve Over Loot Box Gambling

PC game giant Valve is in trouble due to the loot box system in its games. A massive class-action lawsuit has been filed against the company, accusing it of operating an illegal gambling enterprise.

The lawsuit in question was filed on March 9, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Valve is accused of knowingly and intentionally operating an illegal gambling system. The indictment further alleges that the loot box system was carefully designed to extract money from players using deceptive psychological tactics, including children.

The law firm representing U.S. consumers against Valve is Hagens Berman. Steve Berman, founder and managing partner of the firm, states that Valve has gained an unfair advantage against players just looking for entertainment. Emphasizing their determination, Berman said, 'We intend to hold Valve accountable and put the money back into the pockets of consumers.'

Valve Had Faced Similar Complaints Before

The state of New York had also filed a lawsuit against Valve due to the gambling practices created by the loot box system. The names Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 are mentioned in both lawsuit files. As you know, Valve generated over $1 billion in revenue from CS2 case openings alone last year, and this massive market is now in a legal squeeze. Hagens Berman has also set up a website where players who believe they have been victims of these alleged predatory practices when opening cases in Counter-Strike, Dota 2, or Team Fortress 2 can contact them.

Just like in the New York lawsuit, Berman focuses on the fact that children can open these loot boxes and are therefore exposed to gambling practices early in their lives.

Berman said, 'What makes this case particularly grave is that Valve knew children were on the other end of these transactions,' adding, 'Instead of protecting young players with age verification or parental consent mechanisms, we believe they rigged the game to extract more money from them.'

You can find details about the lawsuit here. We will continue to share developments on the subject as they occur.

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