The live streaming site Twitch is taken into consideration the implementation of stricter rules for gambling broadcast options on its platform amid an increased customer interest and activity linked to that category.
Several days ago, the American video live streaming service that is currently owned by Amazon confirmed for Bloomberg that it is currently in the middle of a thorough review of users’ gambling behavior on the platform.
A number of new measures aimed at suspending gambling-related links and referral codes on the streaming platform were introduced in April 2021. At the time, the announcement was made by a Creator Update, in which Twitch unveiled the scope of the restrictions and noted they were initiated as part of an effort to prevent scams and harm created by questionable gambling services that sponsor such content on Twitch.
The spokesperson who made the announcement said that the live gambling platform really cared about preventing potential harm from affecting the community. Although gambling content is still a small part of the content that is streamed on Twitch, it is still being monitored closely in order for the platform to make sure that any potential harm to the global community is reduced to a minimum. The video live streaming service further noted that resources for people who suffer from problem gambling behavior are available in the Safety Center of Twitch.
Slots and Crypto Gambling Content Rise in Popularity among Twitch Users
As CasinoGamesPro previously reported, the “Slots” category is in the top ten of most popular content categories on the streaming platform owned by Amazon. For the time being, a large number of streamers, especially ones with larger audiences and fan bases, are heavily sponsored to take part in the promotion of such content on Twitch.
A recent report of Bloomberg has highlighted the fact that some content creators on the platform, such as the American rapper and performer Drake and the Canadian streamer and YouTuber Felix “xQc” Lengyel, have promoted not only “regular” gambling content but also the services of the crypto gambling operator Stake. The gambling company, which claims it operates under a gambling license in Curacao, is currently one of the most popular companies with sponsorship deals with Twitch streamers.
Crypto gambling is currently permitted in other countries, although it is not legal on the territory of the US. however, it is still possible for users to place bets on Stake services from the US by using so-called virtual private networks (VPNs) which disguise the actual location of the user and cryptocurrency.
A representative of the aforementioned crypto gambling operator explained that Stake has implemented strict compliant procedures in order to prevent its customers from using VPNs to deposit funds in countries where it is not allowed to do so. The company also explained that it uses various measures to address the behavior of individuals who are considered at risk of gambling-related harm, including the provision of free gambling-blocking software for its customers.
Gambling may not be a feature that would stay on the video live gambling service forever. As mentioned above, the company is currently carrying out a thorough consideration of gambling behavior on the platform, so there may be some changes, such as the ban on links and referral codes for gambling operators that has already been unveiled by the operator to address scams and other possible harms linked to shady gaming sites.
