Pros and Cons of Twitch’s Slot Streaming Ban

One week from today, the most talked about restrictions on Twitch takes effect, and we delve into what this means for the gambling industry and streaming fans. When the announcement from the game streaming platform appeared on Twitter, countless headlines led readers to believe that all gambling content fell under the prohibition. However, Twitch didn't mention certain forms of gambling, and they were more specific than news reports admitted.

As one of the favourite genres on the streaming platform, gambling streams cover an array of verticals in the online casino and betting space. As such, the list of operators promoted on the streams extends to all sorts. Let us take a closer look at what types of streams the announcement included and the pros and cons of the new rules.

 The Details

The streaming platform's relationship with gambling streams has been everything but stable. Rumours of potential bans surfaced when the first casino streamers experienced a rapid rise in viewers from 2018 through 2020. Researchers determined that fans of the slots streamers spent 280 million hours streaming live slots through Twitch. 

After countless rallies from anti-gambling streamers and considering its impact on the community, Twitch announced the prohibition of promotional codes and links that lead viewers to gambling sites. The ban followed a restriction from Twitch on controversial skin betting in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. 

It seemed like the dust settled for a while, but when the well-known streamer Lengyel publicly announced his exit from gambling streams and ascribed the move to his recent struggle with compulsive gambling, anti-gambling streamers were up in arms once more. The Sliker-scamming escapade broke the proverbial camel's back last month, and Twitch announced a more comprehensive ban.

While Twitch rewrites its terms and conditions in time for 18 October, we know the following:

• The ban covers slots, roulette, and dice games from platforms that do not have a US license.
• It also includes casino platforms from jurisdictions that don't provide sufficient player protection protocols. 
• Poker, eSports, and sports betting remain on the table for streamers. 
• The details of the ban could change to include more games and stricter rules.

 What Does This Mean for iGaming and Streaming Fans?

The lack of definitive guidelines from Twitch leaves us uncertain about which sites fall under the ban. For instance, Stake.com is the most popular site to be promoted on Twitch, but it only has a Curacao license, and this jurisdiction has recently experienced challenges on the regulation front. Two of the most popular streamers, Trainwrecks and xQc, have massive partnership deals with Stake. 

Regardless of these details, the ban that takes effect next week will impact streamers, various platforms, and viewers. Here are the benefits and challenges the ban brings about:

Pros

• Because the ban includes unlicensed websites, viewers and streamers can look forward to iGaming content from more reliable platforms that prescribe to international regulation standards with player protection protocols.
• Thanks to the huge demand for casino streaming content, industry disruptors will seize this opportunity to create gambling-focused streaming sites with safer age-gating systems. Some industry experts believe the ban merely marks a more mature casino streaming industry's rise to the occasion.
• Legitimate iGaming companies can leverage reputable casino streaming as a key marketing strategy and reach players who understand the importance of trusted licensing regimes. 
• The exclusion of unlicensed sites levels the playing field for casino streamers who chose legitimate, responsible platforms from the beginning. 

Cons

• Analysts believe the ban will impact crypto casinos that circumvent traditional licensing systems and opt for questionable certifications. 
• Slot streamers will feel the brunt of this move the most because lucrative influencer deals may fall away when Twitch clarifies which sites are banned. 
• After experiencing the success of live streaming, irresponsible providers could likely launch their own streaming platforms and cause further harm.

 What Now?

Now we wait for Twitch to announce the finer details of the content ban. The good news is that this restriction isn't all that bad, and fans of gambling streaming will not be left high and dry come 18 October. Casino streaming is one of the newest divisions on Twitch, and the ban is a step forward in making it a safer space for their community. 

The events leading up to the ban support that industry-specific platforms are necessary where age restrictions and other protection measures are in place. We anticipate interesting developments on this front in the coming months.