SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
In a move to curb betting related content, live video platform Twitch.tv (an Amazon.com subsidiary) has warned its users to stop promoting betting/gambling related activity.
As news of eSports gambling has hit national headlines this week, due to games developer Valve Corporation banning all third-party skin betting sites from its platform. Twitch.tv management made a public post warning its users that it would no longer tolerate promotion or content relating to eSports betting.
Serving its notice, Twitch.tv stated the following: “As a reminder, per Twitch’s Terms of Service, broadcasters are not permitted to stream content that breaks the terms of service or user agreements of third-parties. As such, content in which the broadcaster uses or promotes services that violate Valve’s stated restrictions is prohibited on Twitch. Our Rules of Conduct lists other examples such as playing pirated games and playing on unauthorized private servers.”
Skin betting refers to eSports players wagering on in-game purchased items during matched or competitions.
July has been a polemic month for the eSports industry, which saw star gamers ProSyndicate and TmarTn being caught promoting a skin betting site which they owned without full disclosure.
Amid raising public concerns, eSports industry stakeholders have asked for further clarity and sector led regulation regarding the matter.
