Streaming Gambling, Who Is in The Wrong?
In the past few years, we’ve seen steady growth in the online gambling market. Many operators of casinos, bingo, poker, and other gambling sites have migrated their offline activities to online platforms. Even with just a handful of U.S. States having regulations for online gambling, the market is still projected to have a CAGR of 17.32% in the next five years.
One of the ways these gambling sites are widening their reach is by sponsoring popular streamers. However, streaming gambling has been an issue of contention in the online community.
What Are Gambling Streams?
Gambling streams, or gamba streams, are sponsored activities involving up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per stream. Companies provide streamers with funds, usually in cryptocurrency, to spend on games while streaming their experience online. They also provide referral codes with attractive perks that streamers can share with their viewers.
Gamba streamers often spend hours playing on these gambling sites. They win or lose thousands of dollars at a time while spinning slots and engaging in other casino games. These high-stakes broadcasts are viewed by thousands of viewers.
A Flow of Controversies
Gambling streams are not entirely new. In the past year, it’s become a popular pastime of streamers, especially on Twitch. However, its increase in popularity has also brought it much attention, making it a controversial topic in the online community.
Unethical and morally fraught
Gamba streamers have received criticism for receiving money while promoting gambling and reckless behavior. While gamba streamers claim that they are not using their own money, the fact remains that their actions may trigger viewers to gamble using their hard-earned money, potentially leading to gambling addictions. Doing something that spurs such negative behaviors and getting money in exchange for it is seen as unethical and morally fraught.
A negative influence on viewers
There is now heightened concern about how gamba streams impact their viewers, particularly the impressionable younger audience. While Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms with streaming features prohibit children below 13 years old from setting their own accounts, younger kids are still able to use them and view streams. Viewing popular streamers engaging in online gambling may influence vulnerable viewers who won’t consider the repercussions.
Deceptive and undermines the law
Although streaming gambling in itself isn’t illegal, the underlying activity
Source: https://entertainmentlawyermiami.com/streaming-gambling-who-is-in-the-wrong/
