Gambling on Twitch is still allowed, but misunderstanding the rules can still result in harsh punishment.
In the wake of Twitch’s new rules on gambling streams, many viewers are under the impression that gambling has been banned in its entirety. However, gambling is still perfectly fine to show on Twitch as long as it follows a few new rules.
Twitch’s newest gambling rule change was announced on September 20, 2022, but the rule change itself will only take effect on October 18. Staff addressed the controversy surrounding suspicious gambling sites. It’s important to remember that this is only a public statement and the actual wording of the rules has yet to be revealed.
However, there are still some forms of gambling allowed on the platform. The most obvious are skill-based games like poker and sports betting. Even digital casino games are still allowed, but they require streamers to be a little bit more careful. Here’s how to tell if a gambling site is legal to stream on Twitch.
After Twitch’s official statement on gambling streams, streamers may only showcase gambling websites that are licensed in the United States.
To check if a certain digital casino is safe to stream on Twitch, it’s important to determine where the site is licensed. The licenses themselves are provided by governmental bodies in the Isle of Man, Malta, Curacao, and many more locations. Some of these licenses apply to the United States, but not all of them. Betting sites and casinos will often advertise if they are legal to use from the United States, but the safest bet is to investigate their license and check for yourself.
When it comes to casinos without registration, Twitch streamers may be permanently banned for showcasing their platforms. In addition, aspiring streamers should remember that even if a site is licensed for the United States, Twitch doesn’t allow streamers to share referral codes or viewership-specific bonuses. Doing so can result in permanent bans. All of these new rules will go into effect on October 18.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
