Why did Twitch ban gambling in the form of slots, roulette, etc?

Twitch recently released a press statement banning many games used for gambling on the platform, including the popular slots. The restriction comes in the aftermath of the ItsSliker controversy, in which significant streamers such as Pokimane and Mizkif started a Twitter trend called #Twitchstopgambling.

While streamers have gambled on the platform in the past, it wasn't until prominent content creators like xQc and TrainwrecksTV that the phenomenon started taking hold of the platform as a whole. In May 2022, the Slots category became so popular that it entered the top ten most-watched genres on the platform and has stayed that way ever since.

However, the Amazon-owned company recently announced that they would be banning slots, roulette, and dice games, which are not legal in the US.

They will also ban the streaming of games from websites that host such games, and the list of restricted websites includes some of the biggest names that have sponsored streamers who currently gamble on the platform. The following is the tentative list:

"We did it, y'all": Pokimane tweets explaining what got Twitch to ban gambling

As noted in the press release, gambling on Twitch was a "big topic of discussion" and was the primary reason they changed their policy regarding slots and other games. The online backlash from prominent streamers such as Pokimane at the front could have impacted the decision.

After the announcement, Pokimane tweeted in celebration of what she felt was a direct result of "public pressure, tweets, and raising awareness."

She had initially tweeted in favor of a ban on September 18 when the ItsSliker controversy was in full swing. The drama hinged upon the fact that a gambling addict had scammed his friends and viewers out of their money to fuel his addiction. Streamers such as Mizkif called upon Twitch to ban the practice so that impressionable people do not get influenced.

Being one of the biggest creators on the platform, Pokimane's tweet went viral, gaining a lot of traction as people from all over the industry reacted to it. The post has over 300K likes and 4.5K retweets when writing. What followed was a joint effort by many content creators and streamers, ultimately leading to Twitch deciding against gambling.

Roshtein, TrainwrecksTV, xQc, and Adin Ross are the biggest creators who gamble on Twitch, and none of them have taken too kindly to the ban. Train had even defended his streams a few days prior, saying people were scapegoating slots while ignoring the actual person who was in the wrong.

Shortly after the recent announcement, Adin Ross posted a sarcastic tweet about the streamer being recently banned for only seven days after she was caught having intercourse on stream. He compared the two situations, clearly thinking it was unfair of Twitch to go through with such a ban.

The decision will undoubtedly hurt many streamers with lucrative sponsorship deals with websites like Stake, which will be banned from October 18. However, people should not that this is not a blanket ban as forms of betting and poker are still allowed on the platform.

About the author

Richik has been specializing in streamer content at Sportskeeda for over 2 years. He also manages a group of writers who craft relevant news and features about content creators on platforms like Twitch, Kick, and Rumble. Prior to Sportskeeda, he interned at The Ken and worked as a reviewer at Blacksof where he fact-checked educational content.

Richik’s love for writing, researching, and archiving, along with his inquisitive nature and longstanding love for video games led him to pursue a career as a gaming journalist. He relies on primary sources for accurate information and ensures that his drafts are proofread, fact-checked, and well-researched.

As a child, Richik spent many a summer vacation playing the 1994 Road Rash with his cousins. Although more of an FPS and open-world fiend now, Richik enjoys single-player RPGs with compelling storytelling, such as The Last of Us franchise, and regularly teams up with his friends to play multiplayer titles like Valorant on PC.

Richik enjoys watching streamer and former esports athlete Shroud, and also finds inspiration in MrBeast's journey to become one of the most well-known content creators worldwide. Interviewing English-Somali YouTuber Sharky, a member of the renowned Beta Squad, was a career highlight for him.

When not writing, Richik likes to read, watch a movie or a game of football.

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