The Ongoing Conflict in the Streaming Community over Gambling Sponsorships
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Twitch has seen a huge surge in popularity in the last few years. The streaming platform has had to navigate a few controversies, including hot tub streamers and gambling streamer controversies.
Gambling streamers broadcast themselves playing online games like slots and casinos. There are currently more than 150 channels on Twitch that live stream while playing real money slots. Some of them get tens of thousands of viewers on each stream. Twitch has always had a hands-off approach with their streamer. In recent months some of the larger streaming content creators have been sponsored by crypto casinos to play casino games and slots on their websites while live streaming on the Twitch.
Gambling is a problem in the Twitch community. Some streamers promote gambling to their younger audience. They are promoting gambling websites that are not licensed to operate in US. They could be open to legal consequences for promoting a website that is not allowed to be used in their territory. The community is in conflict over this issue. It is also about the use of crypto casinos. Many of these websites are located overseas. Most don't geo-lock the site so that US users can't access it.
Twitch users are unhappy with the amount of money they are receiving from gambling sponsorships. Twitch banned the promotion of gambling websites but many users argue that it's not enough. The platform is not keen on banning gambling. They might consider only allowing users to promote regulated casinos. Regulated casinos give users peace of mind. There are many casinos that are fully regulated.
Twitch has always walked the line between not kicking creators off the platform and keeping users happy. The platform pockets 50% of all subscription fees. Sponsored gambling stream controversy isn't likely to go away anytime soon. Twitch hasn't announced any official changes to the platforms. It remains to be seen what action they'll take.
