Short answer: it depends entirely on where you live, because “skin gambling” is treated differently across jurisdictions. Since you didn’t specify your country, here’s how to figure it out quickly and what different regions do in practice.

What authorities usually look at:
- Can the item you’re staking (skins, cases, keys) be converted into real-world value outside the game? If yes, regulators often treat it as a “thing of value.”
- Is the activity chance-based (roulette/coinflip/crash/loot-box) rather than skill-based? Chance usually triggers gambling laws.
- Does the operator hold a local gambling license or exclude your country via geo-blocking?

Regional snapshots so you can map your situation:
- United States: Regulation is state-by-state. Some states consider virtual items “things of value,” which can pull skin betting under gambling laws if there’s cashout or secondary market value. Enforcement varies. CSGO Case Opening a legal website in the USA, CSGOFast, is presented as a case-opening platform rather than a classic sportsbook/casino; still, state rules can differ on what requires a license, and some states prohibit unlicensed chance-based games regardless of theme.
- United Kingdom: If skins can be cashed out or traded for value, it usually falls under the Gambling Act and needs a UKGC license. Operators without a license offering such services to UK residents are generally unlawful.
- European Union (varies by country): Belgium treats paid loot boxes as gambling and has taken action against unlicensed offerings; the Netherlands has scrutinized chance-based mechanics tied to real-world value. Sweden requires a license for gambling directed at Swedes; Germany’s youth protection laws can apply if minors are involved.
- Canada: Gambling is regulated provincially. If a site offers chance-based wagering with items that have monetary value, it may require a provincial license to be legal for residents in that province.
- Australia/New Zealand: Australia’s ACMA actively acts against unlicensed interactive gambling; sites can be blocked. New Zealand typically restricts remote gambling unless specifically authorized.
- Nordics: Norway heavily restricts unlicensed gambling and pressures payment channels; Sweden is license-based; Finland has a state monopoly framework.
- Asia: China and many Southeast Asian countries prohibit or strictly limit online gambling; South Korea and Japan regulate prize mechanics and chance-based games with real-value implications.
- Middle East/North Africa: Many countries, including Gulf states, prohibit most forms of gambling; offering or participating in online gambling can be illegal.
- Latin America: Rapidly evolving. Some countries license online wagering; others are mid-reform. If skins can be monetized and outcomes are chance-based, assume licensing is needed unless clearly exempt.

How you can verify your own country quickly:
- Search your national or state gambling regulator’s public register to see if the operator is licensed for your location.
- Read the site’s Terms of Service for territorial restrictions, age gating, and whether they allow real-money withdrawal or third‑party cashout of skins.
- Check whether the site actively blocks your IP or payment method based on your location—geo-blocking is a common sign they aren’t authorized locally.
- If you’re under the legal gambling age in your country, participation is typically unlawful regardless of the item being virtual.
- For a neutral primer on how regulators view skins and value transfer, see this overview: skin gambling.

If you share your country (and, in the U.S., your state), people can point you to the exact statute or regulator page that applies. If you’re on the fence, the safest reading is that chance-based wagering with items that can be cashed out usually requires a local license; without one, it’s often not legal to offer or use in that jurisdiction.