Virtual items like cosmetics and weapon skins are big business, generating annual revenues in the billions of dollars. In relation to Valve's Counter Strike: Global Offensive, this means that a staggering number of people are actively buying, trading, and gambling weapon skins on a daily basis. One of these gambling sites, CS:GO Lotto, has come under fire recently thanks to its owners Trevor "TmarTn" Martin and Tom "Syndicate" Cassell using their popular YouTube channels to promote the site. After in no way disclosing their connection.

Which as you could probably tell, is a problem. And something that has plagued popular Twitch and YouTube personalities for a while now, an almost complete lack of transparency or accountability. But when you add what is essentially gambling into the mix, things begin to look a little broken. From all sides too, with Valve themselves responsible for their part in the whole mess.

The issue was brought to the fore by the following investigation by h3h3Productions. Fascinating stuff.