Twitch to ban certain unlicensed gambling sites in new update

Twitch have shared a new update on their anti-gambling measures, saying they are to ban a host of unlicensed gambling platforms.

• READ MORE: “Safety is never done on Twitch”: why the streaming giant is gearing up to protect streamers

Last month, the platform introduced anti-gambling measures that aim to tackle creator content with restrictions to gambling promotion.

In a statement, Twitch said the action was taken to “prevent harm and scams created by questionable gambling services that sponsor content on Twitch,” but plenty of Twitch streamers voiced their concern with the growing popularity and use of gambling games on the platform, and said that more needs to be done.

In a new update posted to their social media channels yesterday (September 20), Twitch wrote: “Gambling content on Twitch has been a big topic of discussion in the community, and something we’ve been actively reviewing since our last policy update in this area.

“While we prohibit sharing links or referral codes to all sites that include slots, roulette, or dice games, we’ve seen some people circumvent those rules and expose our community to potential harm.”

The statement went on to say that, as of October 18, Twitch will ban the streaming of gambling sites “that include slots, roulette, or dice games that aren’t licensed either in the U.S. or other durisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection.”

See the full statement below.

An update on gambling on Twitch. pic.twitter.com/lckNTY9Edo

— Twitch (@Twitch) September 20, 2022

Gambling and loot boxes are a consistent problem in the games industry, even outside of Twitch. A study from earlier this year found that around five per cent of loot box purchasers were spending on average £70 per month, with a third of such purchasers falling into the ‘problem gambler’ description.

In a recent NME feature, Twitch bosses discussed their ongoing attempts to make the platform a safer place. Mary Kish, director of community marketing at Twitch, told NME that the company has heard from users that “creators are really looking for not just a welcoming and warm space, but a safe one.”

“These users genuinely can’t have a welcoming and warming space If it’s not safe,” Kish added. “I wouldn’t be able to stream if I didn’t feel safe, I wouldn’t go live, and I wouldn’t feel like it was a nice place. So it all has to be safe. We have grown in the safety department more than anywhere else. It has shown to be somewhere we’re putting a lot of effort right now.”

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