Live streaming platform Twitch has issued a statement announcing that it will prohibit certain types of gambling content based on jurisdiction.
Twitch will be updating its policy to ban the streaming of gambling sites that have slots, roulette or dice games that aren’t licenced in the US or other jurisdictions which provide ‘significant consumer protection’.
Specifically, Twitch named four websites in particular that would be banned from being played on its platform — Roobet, Stake, Rollbit, and Duelbits. This isn’t the first time that some of these names have been mentioned within esports.
Roobet had an incredibly short stint as a sponsor of Astralis earlier this year. The deal was terminated after less than two days due to what Astralis claimed was a lack of due diligence from the organisation around ‘local legal matters’.
Meanwhile, Duelbits is currently the sponsor of Brazilian esports organisation paiN Gaming and has teamed up with Esports betting odds provider Oddin.gg.
The sharing of gambling site links or referral codes was already forbidden on the platform, but many in Twitch’s community — including high profile streamers — had long demanded further action from the platform.
It’s important to note that gambling content on Twitch will not be outright banned, with US-licensed websites seemingly in the clear. Twitch highlighted that the platform will continue to allow websites that focus on poker, sports betting and fantasy sports.
Twitch has stated that its new policy will go into effect as of October 18th, with more specific updates to its gambling policy to be shared soon.
Gambling content on Twitch has been a topic of intense debate for years. However, the discussion to ban gambling on Twitch was recently spotlighted following a tweet from Pokimane. This tweet followed an admission by streamer ItsSliker that he scammed friends and fans to fuel his sports betting addiction.
