Twitch is introducing anti-gambling measures that aim to tackle creator content with restrictions to gambling promotion. 

In a creator update from Wednesday (August 11), Twitch “will prohibit sharing links and/or referral codes to sites that offer slots, roulette, or dice games.”

“We will continue to monitor gambling-related content and update our approach as needed,” the update adds (thanks, PC Gamer).

Enforcement of the above rules will start from August 17, giving creators time to remove any VODs that violate the new rules. The action has been taken to “prevent harm and scams created by questionable gambling services that sponsor content on Twitch.”

According to TwitchTracker.com, the ‘Slots’ category (which focuses on online gambling games like slot machines and roulette) has seen an average of 44,675 users over the last 7 days (since publication on August 13). This stat can be converted to around 1.7 per cent of viewers as well.

Since December 2018, the ‘slots’ category has seen it’s average concurrent viewers jump from 7,300 to 39,500 in July 2021, also according to TwitchTracker.com.

Plenty of Twitch streamers have voiced their concern with the growing popularity and use of gambling games on the platform, with popular World Of Warcraft streamer Zack “Asmongold” tweeting “Twitch needs to ban gambling streams full stop”. A Twitch clip from Imane “pokimane” Anys also criticised gambling sponsorships as well, which can be watched here.

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.

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