Skin gambling has become a defining feature of digital economies within multiplayer games, with Rust being a prime example. In this survival-based title developed by Facepunch Studios, cosmetic items known as “skins” serve no practical advantage but assume considerable aesthetic and economic value. These skins are traded, sold and used in gambling activities facilitated by third-party websites. As digital economies expand, understanding the mechanisms and implications of skin gambling on Rust becomes increasingly relevant. Overarchingly, the ascendancy of this phenomenon indicates a metamorphosis in how value is perceived and exchanged in virtual spaces, particularly when entertainment intersects with speculative behavior. The Function…
