Nick Devor
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nickdevor.bsky.social
Nick Devor
@nickdevor.bsky.social
120 followers 210 following 38 posts
Social media editor & reporter at @barrons.com, location director for @iape1096.org
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nickdevor.bsky.social
The Simpsons | S15E21
A screenshot from an episode of The Simpsons of a sign outside a church. “First Church of LIBERTYVILLE. IS GOD PATRIOTIC ENOUGH?”
May 9, 2025 at 12:56 AM
nickdevor.bsky.social
A window into the chaos yesterday from @mattpeterson.bsky.social and @reshmakapadia.bsky.social
A screenshot from the linked article: Barron's asked the White House whether the 34% reciprocal tariff gets added to the existing 45%. Yes, a White House official who asked not to be quoted by name said in an email. The new rate was 34% plus 45%, or 79%, for those goods already subject to the full tariffs. Hold on, the official emailed back 10 minutes later. The rate for China isn't 79% but 54%, because the "Venezuela tariffs" aren't in effect yet, the official wrote. That was apparently a reference to Trump's threat to impose 25% tariffs on countries, including China, that import Venezuelan oil. What about the 25% tariffs from the first term? "You're the first one to ask me that," the White House press official said when called for clarification. The official hung up, did some checking, and phoned back.
April 3, 2025 at 1:56 PM
nickdevor.bsky.social
Is anyone surprised?? @404media.co
www.404media.co/microsoft-st...
February 10, 2025 at 4:05 PM
nickdevor.bsky.social
Genuinely distressed at Instagram dropping 1x1 images in the profile feed. Is nothing sacred??? Remember when you could only post 1x1s?
January 19, 2025 at 5:35 AM
nickdevor.bsky.social
People Make Games explains in Coffee’s video how skin gambling & skin gambling content brings eyeballs to Counter-Strike. That’s not Valve’s only indirect benefit.

Skin gambling increases demand for skins. What happens if you lose a reason for demand? An economist I spoke to explained:
A screenshot from an article in Barron's titled "Counter-Strike Is One of the World’s Most Successful Videogames. How It Also Became a Gateway to Gambling." published on February 23, 2024, written by Nick Devor. The text in the screenshot reads: Gambling can indirectly increase the value of skins, says Victor Matheson, an economics professor who studies gambling at the College of the Holy Cross. “If these things are valuable as a way to gamble, and not just as a way to preen,” he says, “obviously that’s something that’s going to drive things.” He adds that the ability to gamble with skins increases demand for the virtual items. Without gambling, Matheson says, “almost certainly the value of individual skins is going to fall.”
December 27, 2024 at 4:39 PM
nickdevor.bsky.social
A case against Valve would need to show that it profits directly from skin gambling. Prosecutors didn’t think they’d be able to prove that, and declined to bring a case.

But a WSGC official I spoke to thought there was evidence Valve benefits indirectly.
A screenshot from an article in Barron's titled "Counter-Strike Is One of the World’s Most Successful Videogames. How It Also Became a Gateway to Gambling." published on February 23, 2024, written by Nick Devor. The text in the screenshot reads: Ultimately, the Washington state investigation turned on whether Valve was directly benefiting from the gambling sites, which the company denied. Gary Drumheller, who oversaw the investigation, told Barron’s that Washington state and federal prosecutors felt they wouldn’t be able to prosecute Valve successfully and declined to bring charges. Drumheller, now deputy director of the Washington State Gambling Commission, says that the commission’s inquiry offered substantial evidence of Valve’s gambling benefit. The company takes a 15% cut when players sell skins on its Community Market. Those commissions grow as skins become more valuable. If they’re allowing skin gambling to take place, Drumheller says, they “are benefiting because they’re getting a piece of that action. You’re getting a piece of that pie.”
December 27, 2024 at 4:39 PM
nickdevor.bsky.social
In @coffeezilla.bsky.social's latest video, we talk about the Washington State Gambling Commission investigation into @valvesoftware.com that found Valve "facilitates" @counter-strike.net skin gambling.

Here's what else that investigation turned up...
🧵
A screenshot of a YouTube video uploaded by CoffeeZilla titled "Deception, Lies, and Valve."
December 27, 2024 at 4:39 PM