Twitch has addressed the growing controversy regarding online gambling streams. The influencer community has seen its fair share of gambling scandals over the years. Of course, it is common knowledge that popular YouTubers like TmarTn had ties to a questionable Counter-Strike: Global Offensive betting platform.
Other YouTubers have been criticized for encouraging unhealthy habits among gamers by posting content such as “pack openings” for games like FIFA and Call of Duty. The most recent issues have arisen from Twitch’s policy of enabling wealthy streamers to wager irresponsibly in front of crowds numbering in the thousands and possibly including many underage viewers.
The last few days have seen a rise in calls for Twitch to tighten its regulations on live-streamed gambling. Sliker, a popular streamer, was exposed for borrowing money from other broadcasters including xQc and Trainwreckstv, claiming financial difficulties and promising to repay the loans. He received donations of over $100,000 from various sources and made no effort to repay any of them. Concern regarding gambling revenues was prompted by Slicker’s admission that he was using the money to feed an addiction to the activity.
Twitch is going to start enforcing some new restrictions on October 18 that will make it more difficult for users to stream gambling content. The new regulation will make it illegal to stream gambling content from websites that offer games like slots, roulette, or dice that aren’t licensed in the United States or in other jurisdictions that offer adequate consumer protection.
Poker and sports betting will continue to be legal on Twitch, and before the new restrictions take effect, Twitch will publish a comprehensive policy for users to read in order to ensure that everyone is aware of the situation. This new policy has already been proven to target specific websites, such as Stake.com, and Twitch has stated that it may identify additional websites in the near future.
