CSGOEmpire vs CSGO500: Which Skin Gambling Site Is Better?
Updated · By the MyCS2Guru Editorial Team
Bro, CSGOEmpire and CSGO500 are two of the longest-running names that grew up on CS skins, and both now hold Curaçao licences. But they've grown in different directions: Empire stayed focused on CS2 games and a big skin marketplace, while CSGO500 (also branded 500 Casino) expanded into a full casino. Here's how they compare on the stuff that affects your wallet.
Open a Free Case on CSGOEmpire (FREECASES4U)
Quick verdict
- CSGOEmpire is our pick for CS2 players: published house edges, a 0.5% coinflip, a 0% fee P2P skin market, a clear daily case pool and simple crypto withdrawals.
- CSGO500 suits players who want skins plus a full casino experience, including slots and live games, under one account.
Side-by-side
| CSGOEmpire | CSGO500 / 500 Casino | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Moonrail Limited (Curaçao) | Perfect Storm B.V. (Curaçao) |
| Licence | Curaçao (footer badge) | Curaçao OGL/2024/1354/0882 (CGA portal) |
| Focus | CS2 games + P2P skin market | Skins + full casino (reported) |
| Signature game | Roulette and 0.5% coinflip | The Wheel (reported) |
| Published edges | Yes, for each main game (see below) | Check each game on the site |
| Rewards | Daily case pool, XP bonus cases, races | See the site's rewards pages |
| Skin trading fees | 0% | Check the site |
| Withdrawals | Skins (no wager) or crypto (12 coins) | Crypto or P2P items (reported) |
We checked CSGO500's licence on the official Curaçao certificate portal. Its game list and withdrawal rules come from independent reviews, so check the site itself before relying on them.
Licences: both on Curaçao's new system
Curaçao reformed its gambling licensing in recent years under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), with licences now shown on a certificate portal run by the gaming authority.
- CSGO500: the portal lists Perfect Storm B.V., Curaçao company number 150536, licensed since December 16, 2024 under OGL/2024/1354/0882. Approved domains include csgo500.com, csgo500.io and 500.casino.
- CSGOEmpire: Empire's help centre says it holds a Curaçao gambling licence and that you can view the licence information by clicking the badge in the site footer. It's run by Moonrail Limited in Curaçao.
Both have a licence, so neither wins outright on that front, and you can check each one yourself in under a minute. Remember that a Curaçao licence gives fewer protections than strict regulators like the UK or Malta, and both sites block countries their licences don't allow.
Games and house edge
CSGOEmpire keeps a small, focused menu and publishes the numbers:
| Game | House edge |
|---|---|
| Coinflip | 0.5% |
| Roulette | 6.66% |
| Cases and case battles | 8.8% |
Plus match betting on esports and football. The 0.5% coinflip is one of the lowest-edge games you'll find on any skin site.
CSGO500, according to reviews, offers its well-known Wheel, roulette, crash, slots, live casino, sports betting and P2P skin trading. A bigger menu means more variety, but also more games with higher edges (slots typically carry more than a low-edge coinflip), so pick carefully.
Try CSGOEmpire's 0.5% Coinflip
Rewards
CSGOEmpire's reward system is published in full:
- Daily case pool: a quarter of the edge you pay on casino-style games (and a twentieth on match bets) is set aside for you.
- Daily claim: 5% of the pool each day, either as a low, medium or high-risk case, or a 90% instant cash-out.
- XP bonus cases: seven tiers from Rust to Unbreakable, with cooldowns of 1 to 6 hours.
- Leaderboard races: ranked by total wagered, coinflip excluded.
- Free sign-up case: with FREECASES4U.
CSGO500 runs its own rewards and promotions. We don't list figures we couldn't confirm from the site, so check its rewards page for the current setup and compare like for like.
Skins and trade protection
Both sites deal with Steam's trade protection, which lets trades be reversed for 7 days.
CSGOEmpire says sellers can wait up to 8 days for coins and offers instant credit tiers from 0 to 20,000 coins (tiers 2 to 10 need level 40+) plus 50% of your daily reward pool. Its P2P market charges 0% trading fees, and prices default to about 6% under BUFF listings, with a 3-minute auction for listings at +6% or less. Reversing a trade can get you banned from the marketplace for good.
CSGO500 also supports P2P skin trading, per reviews. Check its help pages for how it handles the protection window.
Withdrawals and KYC
CSGOEmpire:
- Skins: withdraw any time, no wagering needed.
- Crypto: a dozen coins are supported, and the help centre marks several of them, Litecoin and Solana included, as always instant.
- Wager rule: cash or crypto deposits must be wagered in full before a crypto withdrawal; skin deposits don't need wagering.
- KYC: usually after 4,500 coins of crypto withdrawals in total, with ID and a recent proof of address.
CSGO500, according to reviews, pays out in crypto or P2P items rather than direct fiat, and expects deposits to be played through before withdrawal, with KYC possible. Check its terms for the exact conditions.
Country access
CSGOEmpire's terms shut out many places, the US, the UK and Australia among them, along with several EU countries. CSGO500 also restricts countries under its licence; check its terms for your location. If you're in the US, see our CSGOEmpire USA page for context.
The Wheel vs roulette: what's the difference?
If you're coming from Empire, CSGO500's signature Wheel can look familiar, but it works a bit differently from classic CS roulette:
- Empire roulette has just a few outcomes to bet on, with a rare high-paying option, and the help centre puts its house edge at 6.66%. Simple, fast and easy to understand.
- A wheel game typically has many segments with different multipliers, from small common payouts to rare big ones. You pick a multiplier, and the share of segments that carry it sets your odds.
The practical difference is variance. A wheel with rare high multipliers can produce bigger swings than roulette. Neither changes the fact that the house keeps an edge over time, so check the odds shown for each option on CSGO500 before you play.
Reputation and track record
Both brands date back to the early days of CS skin gambling. Empire's help centre says its founder started the site in 2015, and it has kept the same core identity: CS games plus a big peer-to-peer skin market. CSGO500 has broadened into 500 Casino, which explains why its approved domains on the licence portal include both the original csgo500 addresses and 500-branded casino domains.
Long track records are a good sign, but they don't replace reading the current terms. Rules on bonuses, withdrawals and supported countries change, so check both sites' terms pages before you deposit.
Which suits you?
| You want... | Pick |
|---|---|
| The lowest published edge (0.5% coinflip) | CSGOEmpire |
| A zero-fee CS2 skin marketplace | CSGOEmpire |
| A clear, published daily reward system | CSGOEmpire |
| Slots and live casino with your skins | CSGO500 |
| The classic Wheel game | CSGO500 |
Tips before you pick either
- Check the licence badge on the real site footer.
- Read the withdrawal rules before depositing, especially wager requirements.
- Stick to low-edge games if you want your balance to last.
- Set a budget; big menus make it easy to keep playing.
- Grab free value first, like Empire's free case with FREECASES4U.
Bottom line
Both CSGOEmpire and CSGO500 are long-running, Curaçao-licensed sites. For CS2 players, CSGOEmpire stands out for transparency: published edges, a 0.5% coinflip, a zero-fee P2P market and a clear daily case pool. CSGO500 is the pick if you want a full casino alongside your skins. Explore more in CSGOEmpire alternatives or our CSGOEmpire review.
18+ only. CSGOEmpire isn't available in the US, UK, Australia and other restricted countries. See our responsible gambling page.