Among the most popular categories on streaming platforms are gaming and casino content – specifically slots. Whilst Twitch was originally created as a platform to stream games, it has evolved over time to cover a wide variety of genres, including ‘just chatting’ – for those who seek the community aspect more than the entertainment aspect. The slots section of Twitch grew exponentially between 2021 and 2022, until the point where Twitch put their foot down and said they would no longer be allowing gambling from unlicenced casinos. From then, the slots category has declined, since a great deal of the content was from said unlicenced casinos, but it still begs the question – why was it so popular originally?
In particular, why was it so popular with content creators who initially sought to share their gaming experience with their viewers – is there a natural crossover between gaming and gambling, or were these creators driven by a financial desire? It’s hard to say for sure, but what we do know is that the gambling industry as a whole has grown rapidly in recent years – in particular thanks to online casinos. There are many players setting out to find the top paying online casinos at review sites like hideousslots.com/nz/, whilst others seek out minimum deposit casinos, or even the best casinos for real money pokies. Here’s 3 reasons we think there is such a large crossover between gaming and gambling when it comes to streaming.
- Financial Reasons
We had to start with the obvious. Many viewers don’t want to hear this about their favourite content creators, but the fact of the matter is that streaming, and creating content in any capacity, is a business, and content creators both need and deserve to make a steady income from their work. Since gambling is such a lucrative industry, casinos – in particular unlicenced casinos who are saving money on the licence fee – can afford to pay creators a fee for advertising their product. If you already have tens or hundreds of thousands of followers as a result of playing games online, you’re the perfect candidate to advertise casinos.
- Competitiveness
Many games, in particular those that are streamed on platforms like Twitch, are competitive. People in general thrive off competition, and many streamers enjoy the competitive nature of games when it comes to creating content online. There is an aspect of competitiveness when it comes to gambling too. We all know the phrase ‘the house always has the edge’, so playing slots or casino games, including live casino games, gives players a chance to try to beat the house. This means that even though they aren’t competing against other players per se, they are competing against the casino – and there’s a shared competitiveness that now exists with their viewers.
- Entertainment and Community
Gambling is intended to be a form of entertainment. There have been players who have experienced problems with their gambling in the past, right now in the present, and there are players who will experience problems with their gambling in the future, but on the whole, it is intended for entertainment purposes only. By gambling on stream, viewers receive a source of entertainment, whilst the streamer is similarly entertained. This is much like gaming, but there is also a community aspect that exists within the two. When watching a streamer play their favourite game on a streaming platform a viewer may like to give tips or share their own experiences, but this can also happen in a gambling stream. Viewers may want to request slots, talk about new games, or even help streamers to understand the latest games – all whilst still choosing to share their own experiences, furthering the community bond.
No matter the reason, there’s no denying that gaming and gambling have a huge crossover on online streaming platforms. By supporting your favourite streamers regardless of their niche, you help someone who has provided hours of entertainment to you make an income from their efforts. You don’t have to spend any money to support a streamer who promotes a casino any more than you have to buy or download a particular game in order to support a streamer who plays games on Twitch. If you do decide to, though, make sure you gamble responsibly and never try to replicate someone else’s stakes – especially someone who has a deal or sponsorship with a casino and may receive bonus offers to extend their bankroll.
