Navigating Platform Policies #1: Twitch & Kick

If you were browsing Twitch sometime between 2021 – 2022, there’s a good chance that you would have come across gambling content being streamed on the platform. For example, xQc, the platform’s most watched streamer during this time,1 started incorporating Stake slots streams into his schedule so often that some viewers began to question whether he had a gambling problem. In a surprise to almost nobody, xQc eventually disclosed that he had addiction issues,2 and admitted to wagering over $685 million dollars on the popular crypto casino website.3 Given the rise in popularity of streaming slots on Twitch (where viewership increased ~4x from 20194 to 20225), the widespread use of the platform by people under the age of 18, and the fact that many slots websites being streamed on Twitch were unregulated crypto casinos, Twitch updated its gambling policy in October 2022.6

This is the first blog in our new series looking at social media gambling policies and the considerations for brands who want to advertise gambling content on those platforms. We’re starting off this week by looking at the streaming platforms Twitch and Kick.

Twitch

When Twitch changed its gambling policy, the platform announced that it would prohibit streaming of any websites that contain slots, roulette, or dice games that are unlicensed in the US or other jurisdictions which have consumer protections like deposit limits, waiting periods, and age verification systems (ie, regulated jurisdictions). The announcement specifically mentioned that crypto gambling websites Stake, Rollbit, Duelbits, and Roobet were now prohibited from being streamed on Twitch (Blaze and Gamedom have since been added to this list of prohibited games).7

Twitch’s Community Guidelines8 further state that: 

• They do not allow the aforementioned websites or referral codes for those websites from being streamed or mentioned in the chat on Twitch;

• Streamers cannot: 

  • include a banner with a link to online roulette games;

  • verbally refer viewers on stream or participants in the chat to a site containing dice games;   

• Twitch considers many factors in determining whether a site is allowed, including 

  • whether the site includes safety protections, such as deposit limits, waiting periods, and age verifications;

  • whether streamers use or encourage VPNs to evade geoblocking; 

  • whether the site is licensed in the US or other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protections;

• Twitch still permits broadcasting websites focused on fantasy sports, sports betting, and poker; and, 

• No promotion or sponsorship of skins gambling is allowed.

Kick

Only two months after Twitch announced its new gambling policy, one of Twitch’s biggest slots streamers, Trainwrecks, announced that he would be moving to Kick, a new streaming platform to rival Twitch.9 Trainwrecks, along with Stake co-founders Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven, founded Kick to be a “creator friendly” by providing a larger revenue share for creators and being more flexible on controversial content like gambling streams.

Kick’s Community Guidelines state:10 

We encourage all users to be aware of and adhere to the legal requirements regarding gambling activities in their respective regions to ensure compliance with local laws. Whether you are permitted to stream gambling games online depends on the laws and regulations of the country in which you are located. 

Streaming of gambling on Kick with other users’ tender is strictly prohibited, this includes any form of “buy-in” via sweepstakes and lotteries. Sub-only competitions/weighted giveaways are not permitted. 

Minors must not be in connection with gambling whether it be through participation or any other involvement.