Twitch traffic down 20% after removing gambling content

One of the largest online streaming platforms, Twitch, experienced a significant drop in its viewers after introducing a number of new policies regarding certain gambling-related content.

Last month, Twitch took down specific gambling and betting content from its streaming menu. Although the changes were made a few weeks ago, an analysis of the platform’s traffic revealed that the policy change had a negative impact on the live-streaming service.

At the time of the policy change, Twitch received some backlash from users; however, a number of campaigners also praised its decision. They also expressed hope that the platform would expand the ban to all forms of gambling content.

This will likely not happen, mainly because gambling is a primary source of revenue for Twitch. The global gambling industry has experienced significant growth in the past years, and as a result, content related to gaming and wagering has increased similarly.

Twitch’s ‘Prohibited Gaming Content’ section update was in a bid to appease a group of streamers that have campaigned for years for the reduction of gambling on the streaming hub.

Using the new policies, Twitch has cracked down on all content related to gaming. A part of the rules prohibits users from advertising content for four different domains, which include duelbits.com, rollbit.com, robot.com, and stake.com.

The policy update also disallowed users from sharing any affiliate codes and links to websites that offer gambling games like roulette, dice, and slot machines. Twitch will also watch out for streamers using virtual private networks (VPNs) in a bid to bypass geolocation requirements.

The streamer will be more consistent when monitoring if gambling streamers that post ads for US audiences are equipped with the appropriate operating license from a known gaming authority. Users could stream gambling content several hours after Twitch’s policy change went into effect due to the differences in time zones.

Data analytics company Casinolytics covers events in the iGaming industry and recently released a report which went into detail concerning the far-reaching effects of Twitch’s policy change. The company also used compiled data and its expertise to reach a conclusion.

For a while now, Twitch has been the largest platform for streaming content. The live-streaming service controlled around 96% of the entire streaming market during that time. YouTube is also in an equally impressive position with a lead in areas like replays, reviews as well as big win clips.

Twitch is still ahead in terms of casino live streaming despite Casinolytics’ report that revealed that it now represented around 74% of the online market. The 22% drop occurred between the weeks the platform announced the policy change.

YouTube also reportedly benefited from the drop as more gambling-seeking users flocked to the platform after Twitch’s anti-gambling stance. It experienced a 40% increase in overall reach since Twitch’s gambling content ban.

Some other users started streaming simultaneously via apps like YouTube, Twitch, and Dlive. The four gaming entities Twitch previously targeted via its policy change also quickly moved to Dlive. According to Southern Poverty Law Center, the alternative platform is currently favored by “white supremacists and other extremists”.

Twitch may have to offset the difference by looking into new ad revenue channels. The platform previously revealed that it was testing out new services for steam ads and that an ad channel could likely start running concurrently with Twitch’s content.

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