If you’ve been following the story, you’ll know controversy has been brewing for some time over at Twitch. The online platform has become rife with popular content creators making the switch to streaming their gambling exploits at various online casinos – crypto/bitcoin casinos in particular. Popular gamers like Trainwrecks and xQc have been busy pushing a gambling agenda, in return receiving backlash from other top creators who have been critical of the trend.
Streamed gambling on Twitch has opened a can of worms, with many worried about the effect on underage viewers. Others have also raised concerns about alleged shady deals with shady operators and questions around how certain casino streamers are being remunerated. Through it all, Twitch has been conspicuously silent.
Until now that is, as the platform has introduced measures designed to restrict certain gambling content from creators. On Wednesday, Twitch shared a Creator Update stating it will ‘prohibit sharing links and/or referral codes to sites that offer slots, roulette, or dice games.’ There is no mention of casino games like poker which is interesting because earlier this year, Twitch was blocked by internet provider O2 in Slovakia after local Slovakian creator dDandis played poker on the site.
While the new measures will not be instantly enforced, creators have until August 17 to comply by removing any offending material from their channels or video on demand archives. The move should affect streamers and operators since both have less incentives now to put up gambling content if they cannot benefit from links or referral codes.
However, it doesn’t mean gambling will disappear from Twitch altogether. The site allows gambling if it is legal in the jurisdiction the streamer is operating from. To comply with this rule, some streamers have allegedly left the United States so they can accept deals from operators like Stake.com – who many regard to be responsible for the current situation on Twitch due to their aggressive advertising and sponsoring of streamers.
Twitch’s move is sure to find support amongst those pushing for more regulation to protect viewers – particularly those not of age. No doubt we haven’t heard the last of this, though Twitch mentions it will keep an eye on the situation, stating it will ‘monitor gambling-related content and update our approach as needed.’
