As of today, Twitch will no longer allow streamers to run gambling games on their streams—that means no more slots or roulette or any kind of game where viewers can wager real money or items on the outcome. While this might seem surprising at first, it makes sense when you consider that Twitch has an interest in streamers being able to profit from their work, while gambling companies don’t have any incentive to give anything back to streamers (other than increased traffic and viewers).

Twitch banning gambling games: what this means for streamers and viewers

How did we get here?

Gaming live-streaming platform Twitch announced that it would be rolling out a ban on all gambling-related content. Starting on March 21, Twitch will no longer allow any game with real money betting or skins gambling. The reasoning behind the ban is because they have seen an increase in children using their site to gamble, which violates the terms of service that they had set forth. Though some may think this is going a bit too far, those who are against gaming platforms being used as casinos find it a step in the right direction.

What are your options as a viewer now?

If you are a viewer who enjoyed watching Twitch streamers gamble on slots or roulette, then Twitch just made your life more difficult. There are still ways to enjoy these types of games while watching streams on Twitch. One option is to play the game yourself in an offline environment, such as at home. You can also choose to watch other online streaming sites that allow these type of games. Yet another option would be to watch YouTube videos that offer walkthroughs of the game, which will give you the opportunity to see how it's played without actually playing it.

What does this mean for streamers?

A lot of Twitch streamers rely on their followers to donate to their streams in order to receive a steady income. These donations can come from many different avenues, whether it's through the traditional donate button at the bottom of a live-stream, or by betting in-game currency on an online casino. The latter has been a popular way for gamers who don't have a job but still want to be able to afford new games or other content without spending their own money. However, Twitch announced that they are removing all forms of gambling from their site due to pressure from regulators. This will affect not only the viewers who gamble in-game currency on casino games while watching others play, but also the broadcasters themselves who may depend on these donations as part of their livelihood.

Where can I go from here?

Twitch has banned all forms of gambling-related content on the platform, including slots and roulette. This includes third-party sites that offer these types of games. The company says that they are taking steps to reduce incidents of stream sniping - the act of watching someone's Twitch livestream while they're playing a game, then live betting on that game using another service. 

The ban is effective immediately, but will not take effect until Friday, March 9th. If you currently have a slot or roulette game running on your channel, you can finish out your session before Friday's deadline. However, after that date, any type of gambling content will be prohibited from streaming or being advertised on Twitch.