Popular video streaming platform Twitch has banned the sharing of gambling related referral links and codes, which came as a bit of a shock to a well-established community of streamers and viewers that was formed around gambling related content.
Streamers who play video slots, roulette and other games of chance on their streams have been gaining popularity over the last couple of years, with many of them partnering up with gambling companies such as Stake and Duelbits and earning significant income from their streams.
The ban, however, will not prohibit such streams but rather just limit the use of referral links and codes on the streams. In a statement, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) said there was upside and downside to the company’s decision.
NCPG Believes More Could Be Done
The ban on gambling links and referral codes that Twitch implemented came in good part as a result of NCPG’s repeated concerns and warnings that gambling related streams could turn many of the viewers, especially the underage ones, into gambling addicts.
In response to Twitch finally doing something about these streams, the Executive Director of the NCPG Keith Whyte issued a statement that read in part:
“Twitch has taken a good first step to help protect young and vulnerable users by preventing the sharing of links to gambling websites. However, much more must be done.”
“Everybody should be concerned that Twitch still allows the broadcast of unregulated and illegal gambling and that sites like Stake and Roobet pay popular streamers to play the casino games on their channels. It is incumbent on Twitch to focus on the health of their users, especially young people who are susceptible to developing a gambling addiction thanks to what they are exposed to in the streaming platform.”
Whyte further spoke about the necessity for Twitch to only allow adults to stream or watch gambling content, as well as their responsibility to ensure that any gambling done on streams is legal in the jurisdictions from which it is being streamed. NCPG also believes streamers should be obligated to disclose any sponsorship deals or rewards they are receiving from gambling companies for their efforts.
Is Limiting Links and Codes Really Enough?
While Twitch has clearly decided to take steps to protect viewers from harm, there is a lot to be said about how harmful this partial ban will actually be for the gambling streamers.
The fact that streamers will no longer be allowed to post links and codes on their channels means they will not make direct referral revenue, but that leaves plenty of room for companies to continue to sponsor and finance the streamers and pay them substantial salaries for doing so.
Some of the more successful Twitch gambling channels can have thousands of active viewers at a time, and even without links it is clear that this brings a lot of value to the online casinos that streamers are playing at.
In fact, many of the top streamers already have such partnerships with major online casinos, and some are suspected to even be playing for free, incurring no risk when gambling for high-stakes on their streams.
Further regulation on the part of Twitch may be coming in the future, but for now it seems that gambling streamers will be allowed to keep their streams going as long as they remove all referral links and codes from the streams.
