Twitch announces a ban for several gambling sites from your platform, a starting from October. Il 18 in fact, next month will be launched new policies, aimed at preventing the use of unregulated gambling systems. A decision that comes after boycott threats from some of Twitch’s top streamers.
Twitch prepares the ban for gambling on the platform
Twitch announces to be ready for a “policy change on October 18 that prohibits the streaming of gambling sites that iThey include slots, roulette or data games that are not licensed in the United States or other jurisdictions, demonstrating sufficient consumer protection “.
So the platform will block the streaming of those sites that do not legally prove that they have sufficient protections for players. But will not block betting sites, “fanta-sport” (like fantasy football) or games of pokerwhich will remain possible to bring live.
Streamer protests (and Sliker’s confession)
This announcement comes after protests from some of the platform’s most followed and active streamers, including big names like Pokimane, HasanAbi e Asmongold. Using the hashtag #TwitchStopGambling, streamers have put the issue with the twitcher community at the forefront. But they also announced one “Strike” and boycotts during the week of Nataland, when the revenues for the platform (but also for them) are much higher.
These protests in turn arise from the statements of another streamer, Such. Which he claimed to have defrauded his own viewers and other streamers of over 200 thousand dollars due to a gambling addiction.
In one stream, he admitted that he used fan donations to fuel his addiction. In particular, she explained that the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive weapon skin they have monetary value that some gambling sites use like Casino “chips”.
Twitch’s gambling problem
This isn’t the first time Twitch has tackled the gambling problem on the platform. In 2021, it blocked streamers from sharing links or codes to roulette, slots or craps sites. But it hasn’t stopped the proliferation of gambling on the platform.
As a Bloomberg report explains, the problem arises from gambling sites sponsoring streamers to play live on their site. Some twitchers they have important sponsorships with sites that allow you to bet even through cryptocurrencies and without spending limits. And the spectators are tens of thousands: at the moment the “Slot” category has 86 thousand spectatorsthe 10th most popular category on Twitch.
Changing the policy could block this problem, allowing only authorized sites to arrive on the platform. But its effect on the community will be evaluated over time.