Twitch Tightens Gambling Policy Following Backlash

thegamer.com:

Twitch has been updating its policies surrounding gambling recently due to large amounts of backlash from both viewers and high-profile streamers who view gambling streams as predatory. As of yesterday, it followed through on its promise to ban many gambling sites from being streamed on the platform.

The Twitch blog (via Win) attempts to expand on and clarify the site's position on gambling streams. Seemingly kicked off due to streamer ItsSlicker scamming viewers and fellow streamers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars to fuel his gambling addiction, Twitch will now "prohibit any streaming of listed sites that contain slots, roulette, and dice games and are unlicensed in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that offer consumer protections like deposit limits, waiting periods, and age verification systems."

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This wording seems to mean a gambling site has to both feature slots, roulette, and dice games and be unlicensed in the US or other territories that have similar consumer protections. So as long as a site plays by the rules, people can stream it.

Twitch has stated that "At launch, prohibited sites will include Stake.com, Rollbit.com, Duelbits.com, and Roobet.com. However, we may identify other sites as we move forward." It seems like it wants to avoid another Twitch strike from streamers like Pokimane and is offering reassurances that these gambling sites will be closely looked at for the foreseeable future.

Though Twitch is implementing these rules, it won't be cracking down immediately. It states, "we know this may be an adjustment for some, and will be levering warnings in addition to suspensions in applicable cases in