Since the introduction of new guidelines in June 2023, Twitch has struggled to fully control the promotion of gambling-related content, including skin betting, on its platform. However, concerns that Twitch is failing may be overstated, as a recent study by Ofcom, a UK government body overseeing various media sectors, reveals otherwise.
Twitch Content Now More Accurately Labeled for Mature, Gambling-Related Content
According to Ofcom, the labeling of content on Twitch has significantly improved. The organization monitored 3 million streams between March and December 2023, noting that the new guidelines have taken effect. Prior to their implementation, 48% of mature gaming streams and only 65% of gambling streams were properly labeled as mature content.
After the guidelines were enforced, there was a marked improvement in the labeling of gambling streams, with a significant increase in the accuracy of marking them as mature. Ofcom stated that while content creators didn’t change the types of content they produced or their advertising practices, they did adapt to the new content classification labeling (CCLs) system that Twitch introduced.
Ofcom praised Twitch’s efforts, noting, “More specific content labels, paired with penalties for inaccurate labeling, led content creators to improve the accuracy of their labeling.” This improvement not only helped address the issue of illegal gambling streams but also ensured that content was age-appropriate, allowing viewers to make better-informed decisions before engaging with streams.
Ongoing Issues with Gambling Content on Twitch
Despite progress, challenges remain, particularly with unlicensed gambling streams, which have led to the departure of notable streamers such as Trainwreck and xQc. These content creators have migrated to rival platform Kick, which allows more liberal gambling rules. Although Twitch took steps to manage gambling content, it still lost some of its most popular creators over the controversy.
