Poker players argue that poker is a game of skill. It is different from other casino games in many ways, including that players play against each other. In other words, poker rooms do not benefit from players losing or winning because they do not have an edge.
Several data prove that poker is indeed a game of skill. One research shows that pro poker players win more than they lose in their lifetime.
Why? They acquire the skills to poker the right way. One federal district court ruling agreed that poker is a game of skill.
That would explain why Twitch is leaving poker, as it bans all other forms of gambling streams on its platform. Twitch is a widely popular streaming platform. It is popular for streaming poker, gaming, dancing, rapping, singing, and other entertaining activities.
Thousands log in to watch poker players stream their sessions. Many others tune in to watch slot machine players. While Twitch is a goldmine, some people have been using it to scum their followers, with the recent event breaking Twitch`s patience.
The Catalyst of Banning Gambling Streams
The key person behind Twitch`s recent changes is none other than Its liker. Sliker has 432000 followers, most of whom know him for streaming sessions playing CS: GO. He was highly loved because he talked to his audience often.
Sliker took advantage of his popularity to scum his audience. Based on narrations from his victims and audio evidence, Sliker reached out to his followers to borrow money.
He excused his borrowing to his bank account being locked. Sliker promised to pay his debts but could not pay them when it accumulated. This led to one person airing the issue, with many others raising the same issue via audio recording. Sliker has over $200,000 in debt.
Sliker was not about to deny the allegation. He went live on his account earlier last week and admitted to scamming his followers. He apologized for lying and noted that he was borrowing money from one follower to pay another.
Sliker admitted to gambling addiction. He also promised to go to rehab for the same. The latest revelation made other popular streamers call for banning gambling as it contributed to betting addiction.
The Conversation
The latest scam incident at Twitch has raised conversations among popular streamers on the platform. Most called banning gambling. However, they were worried streaming of poker would also be affected.
Led by Matt Berkey, the conversation with the Only Friends crew noted that the spread of online casino games made players gamble on negative –EV games such as slots as they looked appealing and fun. The crew asked how much gambling was `too much` and how or what would be applied to limit excessive consumption.
Meanwhile, efforts to define poker as a game of skill and not gambling have been happening. Fortunately, Twitch is aware of these efforts and plans to exclude poker from the streaming ban.
The streaming platform released a statement on September 20, indicating that Twitch was in the process of creating a new policy surrounding roulette, dice, and slots. The company plans to touch on fantasy sports, sports betting, and poker. Twitch will release a detailed policy by mid-October.
