Twitch is the biggest streaming platform on the internet right now and it sees millions of users log on a daily basis who either broadcast themselves playing games live or tune in to watch others as they play. The most common games that are streamed live on Twitch are video games, with a lot of them being eSports titles. League of Legends, Fortnite, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are some of the most popular games regularly streamed but now we’re seeing a whole different sort of game being played live for viewers to watch.
Streamers have now taken to broadcasting themselves gambling live and it’s becoming pretty popular too. You could say that watching other punters gamble happens quite regularly. If anyone visits a land-based casino, for example, they’re able to watch others as they play blackjack, roulette, and poker. You also often find people watching others as they play slot games on FOBTs in high street betting shops too. Furthermore, there are many online brands like Party Casino, who are looking at the various ways in which this activity can enhance their players’ gaming experience. So is the rise of gambling Twitch streamers a good thing or a bad thing?
First of all, for game developers and gaming operators themselves, it has to be seen as a good thing. It’s free advertising and a good way to make audiences aware of the latest games and how they look and play. Often streamers will be using promotional codes as they play and this will likely help to entice others into giving the games and services a try too. These are certainly positives.
If the streamers are playing a skill based game, whether it be poker, blackjack or something else, it can help the viewers become better at the game too. Streaming allows the viewers to interact with the broadcaster and vice versa. This means that interested players can ask questions about specific moves and techniques. They can add things to their own game to improve it and to become a better player all around.
While obviously there are some who could watch players streaming themselves gambling and go on to star gambling themselves, it shouldn’t be seen as a negative. Gambling streams only allow people over the age of 18 to watch for a start, so everyone who is viewing will be mature enough to make their own decisions.
The big factor has to be the free advertising and marketing though. Being able to reach out to huge audiences for no cost at all is always going to be a good thing. Streamers always publicise their streams via notifications, when they’re going live and what games they’ll be playing. They do this in order to bring in the viewers, so it’s like the streamer is the one advertising the latest slot game and where you can play it, rather than the gaming operator themselves.
People often see a game at an online or mobile casino and are unsure whether or not they’ll like it. There are reviews out there on the internet of the most popular slot games for example, but watching somebody actually play the game and being able to see it in action as well as ask questions about it; is always going to give a better insight than reading words on a screen.
