If you live in the US or Canada and have a dispute with Steam, you cannot sue Valve in regular court or join a class action lawsuit — you must use private arbitration instead. This means you resolve disputes alone, without the benefit of group legal action.
This analysis describes what Steam's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The arbitration requirement replaces court litigation with an arbitral process where an arbitrator (rather than judge or jury) resolves disputes and issues binding decisions with limited appellate review. The class action waiver restricts the procedural mechanisms available for dispute resolution by prohibiting aggregated claims, collective proceedings, or representative actions.
The updated agreement no longer explicitly discloses that Steam Wallet funds held by Japanese users will expire six months after being added, or that expiration dates can be reviewed in the Steam Wallet. The removal of this disclosure eliminates the transparency mechanism previously available to Japanese subscribers regarding fund expiration timelines and monitoring options. Japanese law may still impose expiration requirements on stored funds regardless of contractual disclosure, but the agreement no longer notifies users of this expiration mechanism.
View change record →US and Canadian users cannot take Valve to court or participate in class action lawsuits, forcing individual arbitration that is typically more expensive and less accessible for consumers with small claims against a large corporation.
How other platforms handle this
If, however, this Class Action Waiver is deemed invalid or unenforceable with respect to a particular Dispute...neither you nor Chegg will be entitled to arbitration of such Dispute.
This Arbitration Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall include any claims brought by or against any third parties, including but not limited to your spouses, heirs, third-party beneficiaries and permitted assigns...
the arbitration provider, National Arbitration and Mediation ("NAM"), shall not accept or administer any demand for arbitration and shall administratively close any arbitration unless the Party bringing such demand for arbitration can certify in writing that the terms...were fully satisfied.
"DISPUTES. If you are a resident of the United States or Canada, you and Valve agree that any claim or dispute that has arisen or may arise between you and Valve relating to your use of Steam, including, but not limited to, any applicable Subscription Terms and Rules of Use, must be resolved exclusively through final and binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that you may assert claims in small claims court, if your claims qualify. There is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is limited. The arbitrator, however, can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court (including injunctive and declaratory relief or statutory damages), and must follow this Agreement as a court would. CLASS ACTION WAIVER. You and Valve agree that any proceedings to resolve or litigate any dispute whether through a court of law or arbitration shall be solely conducted on an individual basis. You agree that you will not seek to have any dispute heard as a class action, representative action, collective action, or private attorney general action.Excerpt from Steam's Subscriber Agreement
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) 9 U.S.C.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
Search "[your state] attorney general consumer complaint" to find your state's direct complaint form
Coinbase's User Agreement includes a mandatory arbitration clause that most users may not have reviewed. Here is what the clause states and how the opt-out process works.
561 arbitration provisions across 197 platforms. ConductAtlas tracks how dispute resolution is being restructured across the internet.
Get the research letter
Companies change their terms quietly. We read every version and catch what actually changed. One email a week on the changes that matter and what they mean.
The arbitration requirement replaces court litigation with an arbitral process where an arbitrator (rather than judge or jury) resolves disputes and issues binding decisions with limited appellate review. The class action waiver restricts the procedural mechanisms available for dispute resolution by prohibiting aggregated claims, collective proceedings, or representative actions.
US and Canadian users cannot take Valve to court or participate in class action lawsuits, forcing individual arbitration that is typically more expensive and less accessible for consumers with small claims against a large corporation.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 206 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Steam.