With a new gambling policy aimed at minimizing harmful content, streaming platform Kick is changing things up. Starting February 1, 2025, streamers will only be allowed to broadcast gambling content from sites that verify users’ ages through ID.
New policy towards safety
The new policy, which was announced on November 26, is a part of a larger initiative to improve user safety. Kick is now responding to criticism after becoming well-known for having more lax content regulations than rivals like Twitch. Gambling used to be the third most popular genre on the platform, with numerous streamers showing off games like slots to large audiences.
The changes are in line with Kick’s new security policies, which mandate that only websites that verify users are 18 years of age or older are allowed to create gambling-related content. The platform clarified its stance in a tweet, stating, “Gambling content must come from age-verified platforms.”
Comparisons to Twitch
While Twitch imposed stricter gambling restrictions in 2022 — banning most streams of unlicensed gambling sites — Kick’s approach is more focused. It allows streams from operators who comply with age-verification standards, allowing reputable casinos to continue operating on the website. However, certain operators that don’t meet these requirements may still be affected by this more restrictive approach.
Mixed reactions from streamers
Some well-known Kick creators have criticized the policy. Gambling streamer Xposed argued that the changes favor Stake, a platform co-founded by Kick’s stakeholders. “This is just control to promote Stake and hurt competitors,” he claimed, adding that non-Stake streamers face reduced visibility on the platform.
Kick insists that the new regulations are required to protect younger viewers — some as young as 13 — in spite of the criticism.