Multiple factors had a big impact on the expansion of the gambling industry in New Zealand and across the globe. Internet accessibility, efficient banking options, increased number of mobile users, cloud server infrastructure etc. There are also more sites that review and rank casinos available in a certain region. As a result, it’s easier to find the best online casino list for New Zealand or another region and decide where you want to play. Another trend that has recently become more prevalent is Twitch streamers gambling.
Twitch started as a streaming site that was exclusively focused on video games. Over the years, it has significantly changed the types of content it hosts and allows. This has led to gambling on Twitch and a lot of controversy among users and/or viewers. So, here’s everything you need to know about Twitch gambling rules and whether you should be concerned about this trend.
Does Twitch Allow Promotion of Gambling?
As a streaming platform, Twitch wants to support the content creators that increase viewer engagement. At the same time, they want to avoid as much negative backlash as possible and address valid concerns. At the end of the day, their goal is to pick a path that is going to be more profitable in the long run.
This is why it’s highly unlikely that gambling content will be removed from the platform. Many viewers want to watch and support those content creators. Since Twitch gets the portion of the donations, they don’t want to completely cut off that revenue source, or alienate that viewer base.
Currently, rules allow content creators to stream content from fantasy sports, betting and online poker sites. They have even listed sites that are from jurisdictions that don’t have strong consumer protection laws, to avoid promotions of scams. However, many creators have simply switched to using those sites that aren’t listed and that allowed them to continue producing casino content.
Why Did Stance on Gambling Become More Leninent
The truth is many gaming companies are using similar monetization tactics that were mainly associated with gambling. Loot boxes, randomized rewards, catering to whales, and even mashing popular IPs with their product have become quite common nowadays. Magic The Gathering had several products with merged universes:
- Warhammer 40k
- Lord of the Rings
- Jurassic Park
- Dungeons and Dragons
- Doctor Who
- Transformers
- Marvel Comics
As a result, players did voice their concerns, and there was a backlash towards the companies that use predatory monetization tactics. But despite all the controversies, and complaints things haven’t changed. We have reached the stage where studios are praised when they don’t use these tactics, and lootboxes and nostalgia money grabs have become a new reality.
Additionally, gambling regulations have become more strict, and these companies do invest in responsible gambling tools. In other words, they aren’t running away from the fact that the hobby can cause problems, and are channelling some of their efforts into mitigating those issues.
Gamblers Find Streams Useful
As stated at the start, the number of people who gamble has significantly increased. Many viewers from New Zealand are just casuals who don’t spend a ton of money on this hobby. Much like in the video game industry, there are a ton of games on the casino sites that players never get to try. Through gambling twitch streamers they get to see how these games look and decide if they like them or not.
Furthermore, there are casino games or gambling activities that require skill. Viewers who follow fantasy sports or online poker streamers are willing to learn new tricks or re-evaluate their strategies. They are looking for games where they have a better chance of winning, and maybe aim to become professional gamblers at some point. All things considered, this is another type of vibrant game community, and they should be able to interact and socialize online. Banning their preferred content wouldn’t be fair
Certain Streamers Should be Banned
Finally, there are good and there are malicious gambling sites, and that’s a simple truth. Sweepstakes casinos that use proceeds for charity and do things by the book, should be promoted. The same goes for operators who are fully regulated and adhere to consumer protection laws. If these are safe gambling sites players should know about them.
That being said there are offshore sites that are legitimate. The only reason they aren’t regulated by strict commissions is because they want to enable crypto payments. The problem is, that a lot of operators from those same jurisdictions are simply interested in cash grabs. So, micromanaging all of those domains would be a nightmare, and it’s just easier to use a blanket ban on operators from those jurisdictions.
Streamers who are promoting operators from that region are potentially putting the viewers in danger, especially if they are taking advantage of their trust. From that perspective ban is justified.