Streamers Flock to New Platform Following Twitch’s Ban

Casino streamers are looking for an alternative platform after Amazon-owned Twitch tightened its limits on gambling content. This begs the question, “Which site will fill the void?”

The Twitch Ban on Unlicensed Gambling-related Content

The restriction kicked in officially on October 18, following an announcement in September. This policy was introduced after a recent scandal involving British streamer Sliker. He admitted to swindling his fellow hosts to fund what he referred to as a gambling addiction.

It was set to prohibit sites that don’t operate with a US license and don’t have specific customer measures. Currently, the restriction applies to sites such as Stake.com, Rollbit.com, Duelbits.com, and Roobet.com, all of which have their licenses issued by Curacao.

It is worth noting that Twitch has long found success with gambling-related content. In a recent episode of the iGaming NEXT podcast, CEO and co-founder of Happyhour.io Robin Eirik Reed discussed Twitch’s “unsafe” gambling ban with host and iGaming NEXT MD Pierre Lindh.

He noted that the slots broadcasting category “became one of Twitch’s top 10 most watched categories.”

Unfortunately, the once-popular slots genre has seen a steep fall in the days following the prohibition. This is a setback for slots streaming on Twitch. However, streamers have rapidly adjusted and have reverted to websites regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority.

What New Platform Will Attract Streamers Affected by the Ban?

The ban on Twitch has created a void for spectators interested in high stakes gambling with lucrative payouts (or devastating losses). On the bright side, one platform seems especially determined to fill that gap: DLive.

The streaming platform quickly put out a statement saying that all slot streamers are welcome, no matter who their operators are or what consumer protection rules they follow.

The American live-streaming service DLive launched in 2017, and BitTorrent acquired it in 2019. It has been said that conspiracy theorists, neo-Nazis, and other far-right extremists use DLive as a forum. Therefore, the site has a history of brushing the edge of controversy.

In August 2020, for example, eight of the top 10 earners on DLive were conspiracy theorists or far-right extremists. Plus, some of the platform’s most popular users live-streamed their participation in the attack on the US Capitol building.

True, DLive may have been able to gain some traction overnight, including the Stake streamer group Classybeef. Nevertheless, Reed and Lindh are optimistic that even more significant shifts are on the horizon for casino streaming.

When it comes to major, regulated firms, the big question is whether or not they can gain from the ban. As Reed pointed out, there are also rumors that a group of prominent streamers will band together to establish their own service. On the other hand, iGaming businesses are attempting to incorporate cutting-edge streaming into their operations.

Lastly, Reed does not believe that Twitch would institute a complete ban on gambling. He doesn’t see any reason for a platform to prohibit streamed casino content so long as responsible gambling standards are in place.