CS2 glossary.

A 0.0–1.0 number every CS2 skin has, set when the skin is generated. Lower float = less wear visually = generally higher market price within the same condition tier. A Factory New AK with float 0.0008 is worth far more than one with float 0.069.

An integer (0–999) that determines exactly how a skin's pattern is laid out on the gun. Two AKs with the same float but different paint seeds look different. For some skins (Case Hardened blues, Marble Fade FFI) the paint seed multiplies the price by 5–10×.

An optional kill counter built into specific skin variants. The gun tracks every kill the owner gets with it. StatTrak skins are usually 30–50% more expensive than non-StatTrak versions of the same skin at the same float.

A skin variant only obtainable from souvenir cases dropped to viewers during major CS2 tournaments. Souvenir versions carry the team logos + player signatures from that specific match, often 10–100× the price of the base skin for desirable matches/players.

A skin with stickers applied to it. Most crafts lose value (stickers depreciate the gun); a small subset of crafts, pre-2014 holos, foils from old Majors, position-perfect placements, multiply the gun's value by 5–100×.

The lowest non-grey rarity tier in CS2. Blue background colour. Most case openings drop a Mil-Spec, the volume tier that funds the upgrade economy.

The second-tier rarity in CS2. Purple background colour. Less common than Mil-Spec, more common than Classified.

Third-tier rarity. Pink background colour. Rare enough to feel like a meaningful pull from a case; not the top tier.

Top-tier rarity for non-special items. Red background colour. The headline skins, Dragon Lore, Asiimov, Howl, Fire Serpent, are all Covert. Drop rate from a case is around 0.64%.

Effectively a one-of-one rarity tier. Currently only the M4A4 Howl carries this, Valve removed the artist license post-launch and the skin became unobtainable from drops, making existing copies progressively rarer.

The rarest tier in any case, knives and gloves. Yellow / gold background colour. Drop rate is about 0.26% per case. The most desirable CS2 inventory items (Karambit Fade, Butterfly Doppler) sit here.

A 7-day window during which a freshly traded CS2 skin cannot be traded again. Valve enforces this anti-fraud measure on every trade. Buying on a third-party marketplace usually triggers a fresh 7-day hold for the buyer.

A Steam URL that opens the in-game skin inspector for a specific skin instance. CSFloat and similar tools parse inspect links to surface the exact float, paint seed, and sticker positions before you buy.

Doppler-pattern knives (Karambit, M9 Bayonet, Butterfly, etc.) generate one of four colour phases: Phase 1 (mostly black), Phase 2 (mostly blue), Phase 3 (green-black), Phase 4 (mostly purple). A separate 'Ruby', 'Sapphire', and 'Black Pearl' variant exists with a roughly 8% combined chance of appearing instead of the standard phases. Sapphire and Ruby command significantly higher market premiums. Phase is determined by the paint seed and is visible via the inspect link.

Two separate attributes control skin appearance: float (0.00-1.00, lower is cleaner) and pattern index / paint seed (0-999, determines which region of the texture file appears on the model). For most skins these are independent. For pattern-heavy skins like Case Hardened (blue gem patterns) or Fade (colour ratio), the paint seed matters as much as float, a perfect blue Case Hardened AK-47 can be worth 10× a comparable float with a poor pattern.

A knife (and rare weapon) finish with a gradient from yellow through pink to purple. The amount of pink/purple coverage, the 'fade percentage', drives significant price premiums: 90%+ (Full Fade) can be worth 2–5× a minimal-fade knife of the same type. Tools like CSFloat display fade percentages before purchase. Butterfly Knife Fade and Karambit Fade are the most traded Fade skins in CS2.

A highly sought-after Case Hardened pattern variant where the majority of the skin surface shows blue rather than the default gold/bronze. Blue Gems are identified by paint seed (pattern index) number, verified lists exist on CSFloat and cs.money. A perfect AK-47 Blue Gem can sell for 10–100× the price of a standard Case Hardened at the same float. The rarest examples have sold for $1M+.

Five CS2 skin wear conditions defined by float range: Factory New (0.00–0.07) → Minimal Wear (0.07–0.15) → Field-Tested (0.15–0.38) → Well-Worn (0.38–0.45) → Battle-Scarred (0.45–1.00). FN is cleanest and most expensive; BS is the most worn and cheapest. For most skins, MW looks nearly identical to FN at a fraction of the price, a common value-buy strategy. Field-Tested is usually the best value-per-dollar.

Four CS2 sticker types in ascending rarity and price: Normal (paper finish, most common) → Holo (holographic, colour-shifting under light) → Foil (flat metallic sheen) → Gold (embossed gold, rarest). Katowice 2014 Gold stickers are some of the most valuable items in the CS2 economy, individual golds from that era sell for thousands of dollars. Stickers applied to skins at desirable positions (barrel, named slots) add measurable market value to the underlying weapon.

An integer (0–999) that determines the exact placement, rotation, and color distribution of a skin's texture on the weapon model. The pattern index is derived from the paint seed, a component of the skin's internal ID. Certain pattern indices are dramatically more valuable than others, e.g., AK-47 Case Hardened 'Blue Gem' patterns (indices 661, 670, 387, 955) command 10–100× premiums over standard Case Hardened examples. The float value and pattern index together uniquely identify a skin's appearance.

The visual processing technique applied to a CS2 weapon skin. Valve uses six finish styles: Solid Color (flat paint), Hydrographic (water-transfer film), Spray-Paint (stencil spray effect), Anodized (metallic color-treated), Custom Paint Job (artist illustration on metal substrate), and Gunsmith (full weapon replacement). Finish style affects how float value manifests, Hydrographic skins show distinct wear patterns that Custom Paint Jobs may not. Certain finish styles (Patina, Antiqued) are used for specific skin effects.

CS2 skins are distributed through two systems. Cases require a $2.49 key to open and contain items across multiple rarity tiers including rare special items (knives/gloves). Collections are tied to specific CS2 maps and drop as souvenir packages during CS2 Major tournaments, or as direct drops from gameplay. Collection items can't be obtained through third-party case-opening sites; only cases can. Most skins on gambling platforms are case-origin items.

CS2 skins have five wear tiers based on float value: Factory New (FN, float 0.00–0.07), Minimal Wear (MW, 0.07–0.15), Field-Tested (FT, 0.15–0.38), Well-Worn (WW, 0.38–0.45), and Battle-Scarred (BS, 0.45–1.00). Higher float = more worn appearance = lower price in most cases. Not every skin spans all five tiers, some skins are capped at a maximum float below 1.00. StatTrak versions always trade at a premium regardless of wear tier.

A cryptographic protocol that lets you verify a gambling round wasn't manipulated after the fact. The site publishes a server seed hash before the round; you supply a client seed; a nonce increments per round; the round result is determined by the combined HMAC. After the round the server seed is revealed and you can replay the math locally.

A random string generated by the gambling site. Used in HMAC-SHA256 along with the client seed and nonce to determine round outcomes. The site publishes the seed's SHA-256 hash before the round and reveals the actual seed afterward, preventing the site from changing the seed to manipulate results.

A random string supplied by the player (you), often editable in your account settings. Combined with the server seed and nonce in the HMAC that determines round results. Changing your client seed means future rounds use different randomness.

A counter that increments with every round you play. Combined with the server + client seeds in the HMAC. The same seed pair yields different results at nonce=1, nonce=2, etc., preventing duplicate outcomes within a session.

The keyed hash function that combines server seed, client seed, and nonce into a deterministic round result on every CS2 site we cover. Industry-standard cryptography, replayable in any browser via the WebCrypto API.

The percentage of every wager the site keeps long-term. CS2 coinflip typically runs 0.5–5% (0.5% on CSGOEmpire is among the lowest). Crash games run 1–4%. Case openings run 5–15% expected value loss vs the listed market value of the case contents. RTP is the inverse, "100% – house edge".

How many times you have to bet your bonus before you can withdraw it. A "$100 bonus with 30× WR" means you have to wager $3,000 total before any of that bonus becomes withdrawable. Lower WR = better real value.

A 1v1 game where two players each bet skins / coins on a 50/50 outcome and the winner takes both stakes. Sites take a small commission (typically 0.5–10% of the pot). On most CS2 sites the coinflip result is provably fair.

A multiplier game where a curve climbs from 1.00× upward and randomly crashes. Players cash out before the crash to multiply their stake; cashing out late = lose everything. House edge is typically 1–4% baked into the crash distribution.

A 2–4 player mode where each player opens the same set of cases simultaneously. The player whose total drop value is highest wins everyone else's drops. Provably fair on every site we cover.

A game where you stake a skin you own + accept a percentage chance to "upgrade" it into a more expensive target skin. Lose the bet, lose the input skin. Effectively a roulette spin paying out skins instead of coins.

A multi-player pot game where everyone deposits skins/coins; the winner is picked weighted by deposit size; winner takes everything (minus commission). The longer-stake or larger-stake players have higher win probability.

A wheel-spin game styled like classic roulette. Players bet on red/black/green and the wheel lands on a result. Green typically pays 14× and triggers ~7% of spins, house edge of around 0.5–5% depending on the site.

The platform's cut of each pot, the equivalent of the house edge on a specific game mode. In coinflip, rake is typically 5-10% of the winning pot. In jackpot, the platform takes a percentage of the total value wagered before distributing the prize. A site's rake is a hard number: CSGOEmpire charges 0.5% on coinflip (the lowest we've measured), while most sites run 5-10%. Always verify in the site's terms, not all sites publish this prominently.

A loyalty rebate where the platform returns a percentage of the rake you paid as bonus credit or coins. Gamdom's standard offer is 15% rakeback for 7 days. Rakeback compounds with volume, a high-frequency player gets significantly more value from a strong rakeback program than from a one-time welcome bonus. Calculated on net losses in some programs, on wagered volume in others.

A CS2 gambling game derived from the classic game-show format. A ball drops through a pegged board and lands on a multiplier slot at the bottom. Players choose the number of rows and the risk level (which affects the multiplier spread). More rows = more potential variance. Plinko is provably fair on legitimate sites, the landing slot is determined by the seed combination before the ball drops.

The act of spending a CS2 case key (or its cash equivalent on a site) to receive a randomly determined skin from that case's loot table. Valve's official cases use real drop rate data, covert (red) skins appear at ~0.64%, classified (pink) at ~3.2%, restricted (purple) at ~15.98%, mil-spec (blue) at ~79.92%. Third-party sites use their own drop tables, which may or may not be disclosed. Always check a site's provably-fair system before opening cases.

A CS2 casino game mode based on minesweeper. A grid (usually 5×5 = 25 cells) hides a set number of mines chosen by the player. Each safe cell revealed multiplies the current bet by a factor determined by the mine count. Hit a mine and the entire bet is lost; cash out anytime to lock in the current multiplier. More mines = higher multiplier per safe cell, but greater risk. House edge is embedded in the multiplier table rather than stated directly.

A promotional code entered at registration or deposit that unlocks welcome bonuses, matched deposits, free cases, or free coins, unavailable to players who sign up without one. All SkinsVault affiliate partners accept the code SKINSVAULT. Codes are the primary way affiliate review sites like SkinsVault monetise, the platform shares a portion of revenue generated by referred players.

The average outcome per bet if the same bet were repeated infinitely. Calculated as: EV = (probability of win × win amount) − (probability of loss × loss amount). A −EV game means the player loses money on average over time, all casino games are −EV by design. CS2 case opening on Steam has roughly −38% EV. Third-party case sites typically have −15% to −30% EV. Identifying +EV situations (e.g., a bonus that more than offsets the house edge) is the core of advantage gambling strategy.

The percentage of total wagered money a game returns to players over the long run. Inverse of house edge: RTP = 100% − house edge. A game with 5% house edge has 95% RTP. Standard Steam case opening has roughly 62% RTP. Regulated casino slots must disclose RTP and are typically 94–98%. Third-party CS2 case sites typically run 70–85% RTP. RTP is a long-run statistical average, individual sessions can deviate dramatically in either direction.

How spread out outcomes are around the expected value. A high-variance game (jackpot, crash at high multipliers) has infrequent wins but large payouts when they occur. A low-variance game (50/50 coinflip, roulette on red/black) has frequent small wins and losses. High-variance games are more exciting but also more likely to cause large bankroll swings. Most CS2 gambling games are high-variance due to the rare special item drops.

A deposit bonus available to existing players on subsequent deposits after the initial welcome offer. Typically 10–50% match up to a capped amount, often weekly or monthly. Less generous than welcome bonuses but valuable for regular players. Most CS2 platforms offer reload bonuses to active accounts. Always check wagering requirements, a 30% reload with 15× wagering may return less value than it appears.

A promotion where the platform refunds a percentage of net losses over a period (typically 5–20% of losses in a week). Unlike a matched deposit, cashback is always net positive when you lose. Several CS2 platforms call their rakeback system 'cashback', the calculation is the same. High-volume players can stack regular cashback with reload bonuses to materially reduce their effective house edge over time.

Exploiting price differences for the same skin across platforms to generate risk-free (or near-risk-free) profit. Classic form: buy a skin on Skinport at a 10% discount, sell it on the Steam Market at a 3% discount, net 7% gain minus platform fees. CS2 gamblers sometimes use arbitrage to fund gambling bankrolls. Becoming harder as bots continuously equalize prices across platforms, but persistent for illiquid or newly-listed skins.

A trade where the marketplace just facilitates, buyer and seller's items move directly via Steam's official trade infrastructure, not via a marketplace bot. CSGOEmpire's marketplace works this way (and charges 0% on direct P2P).

A trade flow where both parties can see each other's offers and counter-offer before agreeing. DMarket popularised this on CS2. Useful for rare items where a fixed listing wouldn't surface the maximum price.

A trade where the marketplace operates a Steam-bot inventory and trades happen between you and the bot, not another user. CS.MONEY, Tradeit.gg, Swap.gg all use this model. Faster than P2P but the bot's pricing has a built-in spread.

The gap between what you'd get selling a skin and what you'd pay buying the same skin on the same site. Bot trading sites typically run 5–8% spreads; flat-fee marketplaces (Skinport's 12%) eliminate the spread but charge an explicit fee instead.

A Valve-issued consumable item that transfers a kill counter from one StatTrak weapon to another StatTrak weapon of the identical type and skin name. Useful when upgrading float quality while preserving a high kill count. The tool is destroyed on use and can be purchased via the CS2 in-game store or the Steam Community Market. Not to be confused with trade offers, it requires both items to be in the same inventory simultaneously.

Valve's built-in CS2 skin marketplace, accessible from the Steam client or web browser. The Steam Market charges a 15% transaction fee (5% to Valve + 10% to CS2 game). Funds from Steam Market sales are locked as Steam Wallet credit, they cannot be withdrawn to a bank account or converted to real currency. This makes the Steam Market suitable for in-game purchases but not for monetizing skins. Third-party marketplaces (Skinport, CS.MONEY, DMarket) offer real cash payouts at lower fees.

A platform outside Valve's ecosystem for buying and selling CS2 skins with real money (vs. Steam Wallet credit). Examples: Skinport, CS.MONEY, DMarket, Swap.gg, ShadowPay, Tradeit. Fees range from 2–8%, significantly lower than Steam's 15%. Real cash payouts via bank transfer, crypto, or e-wallet. Risks include phishing scams and platform insolvency, always verify URLs carefully. SkinsVault covers 11 third-party marketplaces in editorial-only reviews.

China's largest CS2 skin trading platform and globally the reference price for high-value CS2 skins. Buff163 (buff.163.com) typically has the lowest prices on high-end skins due to its scale and Chinese market liquidity. Non-Chinese users can use Buff163 via Steam inventory transfers but face payment friction, Chinese bank accounts required for fiat withdrawals. Western players often use Buff163 prices as a floor benchmark when evaluating arbitrage opportunities on Western marketplaces.

Identity verification, usually government ID + proof of address, required before withdrawals above a certain threshold ($1,000 is common). Curaçao-licensed sites enforce KYC for AML compliance; offshore sites often skip it until you try to cash out.

The most common online gambling license used by CS2 casinos. Issued under the Curaçao Gaming Control Board. Lighter regulation than EU licences (Malta MGA, UKGC) but still imposes KYC, fair-gaming, and responsible-gambling requirements. 500.Casino's licence is OGL/2024/1354/0882.

Provably fair = the player can mathematically verify any individual round wasn't tampered with. RNG (Random Number Generator) certification = a third-party audit of the site's randomness source. The two solve different trust problems and good sites do both.

The MGA is one of the most respected gambling regulators globally, issuing licenses under EU standards. MGA-licensed operators are required to segregate player funds, enforce responsible gambling tools, and submit to annual third-party audits. An MGA license is widely accepted across Europe and signals higher regulatory accountability than a Curaçao license. No major CS2 skin gambling platform holds an MGA license as of 2026, the licensing requirements (certified RNG, separate entity structure, EU incorporation) don't fit the typical CS2 platform model.

Sweden's national gambling regulator, established under Spellagen 2018 (effective January 2019). Spelinspektionen licenses Swedish-facing operators and enforces the requirement that all operators marketing to Swedish residents hold a Swedish license. CS2 gambling platforms typically don't hold Swedish licenses, making them technically offshore from Swedish players' perspective. Relevant to Swedish players evaluating platform legitimacy.

The Netherlands' gambling regulator under the Kansspelwet (2021). The KSA enforces the requirement that operators serving Dutch players hold a Dutch license, backed by fines of up to €900,000. Most CS2 gambling platforms don't hold KSA licenses and implement geo-blocking for Dutch users. The KSA publishes an active blacklist of non-compliant operators and has enforced against several offshore gambling providers.

France's national gambling regulator, replacing ARJEL in 2020. The ANJ licenses sports betting, poker, and horse racing, but not casino games, slots, roulette, or skin gambling. CS2 case opening and most CS2 gambling game types are not licensable in France, placing them in the offshore/grey market for French players. The ANJ enforces primarily against operators who actively market in France without a license.

Germany's federal gambling regulator established under the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 (GlüStV 2021), effective July 2021. The GGL oversees online casino, poker, and sports betting licensing for the German market. Operators with GGL licenses pay a 5.3% gross revenue tax on German player activity. CS2 gambling platforms rarely hold GGL licenses due to high compliance costs and strict product restrictions (e.g., mandatory €1 spin limits on slots). German players typically use offshore platforms.

A voluntary program allowing players to ban themselves from gambling for a defined period (6 months to lifetime). National self-exclusion schemes include GAMSTOP (UK), Spelpaus (Sweden), OASIS (Germany), and CRUKS (Netherlands). Offshore platforms implement their own account-level exclusion tools separate from national registries. All platforms ranked on SkinsVault offer self-exclusion in account settings. Once activated, responsible platforms cannot legally accept deposits from excluded players.

A gambling regulator operated by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake in Quebec, Canada. One of the earliest online gambling jurisdictions, issuing licenses since 1999. Several CS2 gambling platforms hold Kahnawake licenses. Kahnawake has weaker enforcement mechanisms than MGA or Curaçao eGaming but provides more accountability than unregulated offshore operations. Canadian players often encounter Kahnawake-licensed sites as the primary option.