Following boycott threats, Twitch has announced policy changes around gambling content on the platform. A policy update on Oct. 18 will “prohibit streaming of gambling sites that include slots, roulette, or dice games that aren’t licensed either in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection.” This includes sites such as Stake.com, Rollbit.com, Duelbits.com, and Roobet.com.
While the platform does not currently allow links or referral codes to these sites, they said this change should address circumvention of the rules. However, Twitch will continue allowing streams around sports betting, fantasy sports, and poker. Additional changes to gambling content policy seem to be coming soon as well.
An update on gambling on Twitch. pic.twitter.com/lckNTY9Edo
— Twitch (@Twitch) September 20, 2022
This course correction comes after Twitch streamer Abraham “Sliker” Mohammed admitted to scamming other content creators and viewers out of more than $200,000 due to a gambling addiction. Sliker’s confession prompted a unified effort from many popular creators to boycott the platform if changes were not made around its gambling content policy. Gambling streams have become one of the most popular categories on the site, and many have argued that it may promote harmful habits, particularly for younger viewers.
In response to the changes, Pokimane, one of the most prominent voices criticizing the previous gambling policy, tweeted “We did it y’all. Public pressure, tweets, raising awareness, it all matters.” However, others have expressed disappointment that popular content creators have not expressed similar outrage over problems with racism, discrimination, and abuse on the platform. For instance, Twitch has long had a problem with “hate raids,” where viewers flock to harass streamers that are frequently people of color, women, or members of other marginalized communities.
Gambling… that’s where they draw they line. Not hate raids, racism, transphobia, or anything that effects BIPOC on Twitch.
We have to have 10 different iterations of the N word banned in chat just to go live, but gambling is where y’all find energy to take a stand. Smh. https://t.co/pEheYVjAfF
— Uni (They/Them) (@UniTheMonarch) September 19, 2022