Twitch’s regulations have recently changed, one being that “promotion and sponsorship” of CS:GO skins betting sites are now prohibited. The changes to Twitch’s policies will give the streaming platform a new direction.
Twitch bans sponsorship of CS:GO skin betting sites
As of early August, Twitch has added another section to the banned content category within the platform. The new category refers to a ban on the “promotion and sponsorship of websites dedicated to CS:GO skins betting.”
This important Twitch ban comes just days after a video was posted on YouTube criticizing the sponsorship of such websites. The video, related to CS:GO skins betting, has quickly reached many views.
It is important to note that when HOUNGOUNGAGNE made the video public, the new Twitch ban was not part of its policies. So, this adjustment in the platform’s regulations seems to have occurred only a few days ago.
Banning of CS:GO skins betting websites
Twitch’s official policies concerning CS:GO skins betting sites read as follows:
“Is it legal on Twitch to sponsor skins betting, such as for CS:GO skins? No, promoting or endorsing skins betting is against our policy.”
Undoubtedly, this change in Twitch’s policies has come suddenly. It is important to note that most CS:GO streamers on Twitch do promote skins betting sites for the game. Arguably, this update to Twitch’s unannounced regulations is one of the biggest changes to the platform. Many CS:GO streamers will have to break sponsorship deals with skins betting sites to avoid being banned from Twitch.
🎲#CSGO Gambling Promotion Forbidden by #Twitch
📜Details specified on community guidelines:
-Is sponsorship of skins gambling, such as for CS:GO skins, allowed on Twitch?
-No, promotion or sponsorship of skins gambling is prohibited under our policy#CounterStrike #gambling pic.twitter.com/v9bUVA5JVT
— ASO Game News (@ASOGameNews) August 3, 2023
Bans for non-compliance with the new rule
Since this rule has just been included in Twitch’s policies, there are no known cases of bans for non-compliance. On the other hand, Twitch has been criticized by some users for being inconsistent with its bans. Often due to manual reviews being slower than automatic reviews, viewers will have to wait and see what happens to their favorite CS:GO streamers who advocate skins gambling.
Problems with CS:GO skins gambling sites
For its part, Valve is also working against the problems related to CS:GO skins betting sites. The developer has taken it upon himself to ban and delete many accounts with confirmed connections to these betting sites. According to reports, as of July 29, Valve has removed content worth approximately $6 million.
Recall that since 2013, opening such cases has been a crucial part of CS: GO. Since then, many websites offered ways to bet on the game’s skins. Even some CS:GO teams are sponsored by such websites. For example, CS:GORoll sponsors G2 Esports.
Finally, at the moment, it is unknown what the results of the new Twitch bans will look like. However, it is expected to have long-term effects on CS:GO broadcasts.