Twitch Announces Crackdown On Online Gambling Amidst Controversy
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Twitch has announced a ban on some forms of online gambling on its platform amidst controversy around the subject. This ban comes shortly after several popular streamers threatened to boycott the streaming platform if it did not address the problems around streams dedicated to gambling.
Announced on , Twitch will be banning the streaming of online gambling, specifically websites that allow for unsanctioned slots, roulette, or dice games. This ban also prevents streamers from sharing sign-up links or codes for these websites to try and crack down on streamers sponsored by these companies. Twitch specifically said that Stake, Rollbit, Duelbits, and Roobet will be banned, with the list growing whenever the company identifies a new gambling website. Websites focused on sports betting, fantasy betting, and poker will continue to be allowed, however. The new rules take effect on October 18.
All of this comes after a streamer scammed people in order gamble off-stream. As reported by Kotaku, streamer Abraham "Sliker" Mohammed scammed both content creators and fans out of over $200,000 under the pretense that he was experiencing financial hardship. In an apology video, he admitted that it was lie in order to obtain more money to gamble.
This led to popular streamers Imane "Pokimane" Anys, Matthew "Mizkif" Rinaudo, and Devin Nash to begin coordinating a potential boycott of Twitch, until the platform took a stance against gambling and gambling sponsorships.
Streamers who stream online gambling and are sponsored by companies like Stake, like xQc and Trainwreck, have previously argued that only targeting specific gambling, like slots, roulette, and dice games, while allowing other types of gambling, like sports betting, to remain on the platform won't solve the issue. In Twitch's statement, it specified that the ban is focused on gambling sites that are unsanctioned in the United States.
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