Esports organizations in Counter-Strike are reporting that Valve’s recent Major tournament, the first without collectible sticker capsules, generated significantly less revenue from stickers than anticipated. This is concerning because sticker sales have long been a vital source of funding, especially for smaller teams. This change happened while a gambling-related lawsuit was ongoing in New York, despite the growing involvement of betting platforms and cryptocurrency sportsbooks in esports.
Key Takeaways
- Gaimin Gladiators shut down its CS division on June 22, explicitly citing “recent changes to the Major ecosystem and revenue structure.”
- Valve cites direct-purchase demand and regional restrictions on capsules.
- BLAST, NAVI and G2 now carry prediction-market or crypto-betting partners.
Valve removes capsules but keeps (some of) the gamble as betting brands move closer
Valve replaced Counter-Strike 2’s randomized Major sticker capsules with a direct-purchase system ahead of IEM Cologne, allowing users to spend tokens on the exact team or player sticker they wanted. Major stickers are cosmetic decals of team logos and player autographs that fans apply to their in-game weapons, a Counter-Strike collecting staple for over a decade. Until this year, they arrived in randomized capsules: fans bought a sealed pack and opened it, hoping for a rare holo or gold variant, much like a physical trading-card pack.
Prices changed based on how much people wanted them. Valve took half of the money earned from the Major Shop and passes and put it into a shared fund. Of that amount, 5% went to the tournament organizer, and 45% was distributed among the 32 participating teams. Each team’s portion depended on their ranking in Valve’s regional standings and how well they played in the Major. Additionally, Valve required teams to automatically split their earnings 50/50 with their players, overriding previous individual negotiations.
The first reported payouts under that model have alarmed participating organizations. One team eliminated in Stage 1 told esports website HLTV it had earned approximately $60,000, with another $60,000 distributed to its players. The report compared that with figures from the previous Major in Budapest, where Contender sticker capsules made around $600,000 before any split with the players.
One source from a team competing in Stage 1 called the situation a disaster for the Counter-Strike scene. Moritz Straube, co-founder of SINNERS Esports, explained that his organization spent $25,000 to $35,000 on travel and lodging in the first quarter while trying to qualify for a Major tournament, anticipating that sticker sales would cover those expenses.
The payout figures are self-reported samples rather than audited tournament totals – with HLTV’s report stating many orgs declined to report figures because of confidentiality agreements signed with Valve. The developer-publisher has not published Cologne’s complete sales or royalty data. They nevertheless show why lower-tier orgs viewed Major qualification as more than a competitive achievement: sticker revenue could finance salaries, transfers, academies, and another season of travel, which, along with its prestige, is why it has always been a critical target for teams to qualify for. Prominent org Gaimin Gladiators shut down its CS division on June 22, explicitly citing “recent changes to the Major ecosystem and revenue structure.”
Valve said capsules were popular, but that some players preferred buying specific stickers, and users in certain regions could not purchase randomized products. It is just one of the in-game cosmetic options that have come under scrutiny. The capsule overhaul arrived three months after New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Valve, alleging that Counter-Strike loot boxes function like illegal gambling and expose younger players to casino-style mechanics.
The gaming company hasn’t said the lawsuit in New York or rules about gambling caused them to stop making sticker capsules. They are still fighting the claims made by the state’s attorney general.
Meanwhile, wagering businesses are expanding around professional competition. Counter-Strike esports has a larger third-party presence than almost all other esports, and its longevity and mature themes are part of why it has an outstanding share of the esports betting pie. Tournament organizer BLAST named Polymarket its official prediction partner for 2026, integrating the platform across seven Counter-Strike and Dota 2 events through broadcasts, analyst-desk segments, arena branding and fan activations.
Team sponsorships have long been showing the same trend. NAVI lists GG.BET as its title partner and Limitless as its official prediction-market partner (with the latter deal kicking off at the IEM Cologne Major itself), while G2 placed crypto casino Betpanda on its Counter-Strike jerseys as its global betting partner for 2026.
This is part of a wider trend in the esports space: traders recently placed more than $558,000 on Esports World Cup events, while Riot Games made Kick an official broadcaster after previously restricting betting sponsors. The Paris tournament itself carries a $75 million prize pool.
2026-07-24 10:00