Kick, a streaming service, has made a significant decision to permit gambling content only from platforms where viewers have undergone identity verification through Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols.
This move is part of a new set of regulations set to take effect starting February next year. It follows the collaboration between Kick and the Internet Watch Forum (IWF), aimed at curbing “harmful and exploitative” content.
Kick is further bolstering these measures by enhancing its safety hub and providing streamers with tools to personalize their chat experiences, hoping to diminish the presence of bots.
Gambling content has always been integral to Kick, which was established by Stake co-founders Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven. The landscape of streaming has evolved dramatically, especially in the gambling sector, with an increase in crash games and gamified slots boosting interaction for streamers.
Gambling remains a cornerstone of Kick’s offerings, attracting numerous renowned streamers to the platform. The platform’s stricter policies coincide with a notable increase in streamers transitioning to Stake for their content.
While Kick’s recent measures have been widely applauded, some, including Streamer Xposed, have expressed their dissatisfaction publicly. He remarked on X: “Kick was created as a venue for gamblers to stream freely and establish a homebase. Now, with Stake losing streamers, they have to intensify KYC checks on the site.”
He continued, “This demonstrates absolute control over their platform, forcing everyone back to Stake to promote their brand.”
Xposed also criticized the treatment of streamers broadcasting content from other gambling sites, noting that they receive less visibility—being excluded from the front page and recommendations—making it harder for them to gain an audience and putting non-Stake streamers at a disadvantage.
