Twitch Lists Blaze and Gamdom as Restricted Gambling Content
Due to the launch of a new gambling policy last October, Amazon-owned Twitch has started prohibiting the streaming of content linked to four specific sites including Stake.com. Now, Twitch has increased this ban to include the online gaming platforms called Blaze and Gamdom.
The announcement about these bans came from the Twitch Support account on X (previously known as Twitter). It didn't mention anything about it in its primary @Twitch channel. The former has 1.1 million followers, while the latter has 9.9 million. The main channel states that @Twitch Support is only for "site issues."
Twitch has made it clear under increasing pressure that it plans to crack down on sites featuring unlicensed slots, roulette, or dice games. The platform aims to prohibit platforms that don't have licenses in the US or jurisdictions with adequate consumer protection measures.
Conflicting Messages
Despite Blaze and Gamdom being inaccessible directly in the US, users can still use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass geographical restrictions and access these websites while concealing their actual location.
https://twitter.com/TwitchSupport/status/1686784130753957888
To combat fraud and potential dangers on deceitful gaming platforms, Twitch is now enforcing restrictions that will not allow users to share any kind of links or referral codes to websites offering slots, roulette, or dice games. Nevertheless, Twitch permits access to websites related to poker, fantasy sports, and sports betting.
It even allows hamster betting, but advertising for skin gambling or sponsorships related to the video game and popular eSports title "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" is off-limits.
Four months ago, a Twitch streamer named xQc highlighted the favoritism issue in a Reddit thread, stating that his host was okay with soccer star Neymar gambling on Blaze. xQc claimed that if he or fellow streamer Trainwreckstv (now with the up-and-coming streaming platform Kick) were to gamble there, they would get banned.
In response to the comment, someone added that Blaze and Gamdom "still haven't been banned by Twitch." Seems like Twitch read the thread.
Decline in Game Streaming
Twitch also disclosed a startling 75% drop in gaming viewership during the implementation of the new regulations last year. Other sites experienced a decrease in the segment as well.
The "Video Game Live-Streaming Trends Report for Q2 2023" by Stream Hatchet shows that game viewership for almost all platforms decreased. In comparison to the first quarter, the average drop was 9%.
Twitch experienced a 9.4% decline in hours watched and average viewership from February 2022 through January 2023. The new anti-gambling policy made the figure even worse.
According to its message on X, Twitch is currently experiencing the emergence of "new trends" and is going through updates. It didn't provide any specifics about these new trends.
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Source: www.casino.org
