In the end, the developer appears to be taking the nucleus choice, saying "we're contemplating in the near future to take down OSRS gold the Duel Arena out of RuneScape entirely." In the meantime it will introduce "some temporary steps" to tidy up PvP "until our development teams can bring a major update that fully takes over the Duel Arena next year."
They will also have a limit for the quantity of GP (or gold points) and players will be able to stake matches played at the Duel Arena. Players will be able to bet "no more than 50m GP for each duel". Additional measures aren't provided as of now.
Jagex says that "a brand new game that will play out as part the Elder God Wars storyline" will replace Duel Arena in early 2022 But no other details have been revealed as of yet.
Although the effect of these changes is yet to be seen, they appear to be one of the strongest measures any studio has taken to combat external abuse of its systems for profit. If they succeed, similar actions could be seen in the MMO space in the coming years.
Jagex recently announced, after 18 years as the battleground for PvP, Duel Arena will be ending its presence in RuneScape and a new location will be added. RuneScape is set to release Het's Oasis which will feature a completely new scenery, new techniques for gaining skills, and two new mini-quests for players to try.
The game will begin today with Oasis Restoration participants will be tasked to transform the Duel Arena following a cataclysmic earthquake that has destroyed the arena. Players will need to work together to turn the the arena from "a blood-soaked fighting pit in which heroes have made a living from one-on-1 games, into a peaceful sanctuary."
Players will be able to reconstruct the region and complete daily tasks that can earn them rewards according to their performance. People who participate in the event for community members will receive special event rewards which include a brand new animal crocodile, a title wearables that buy RS gold are inspired by deserts, and Gators' footwear.