Streaming Platform Kick Allows Users to Ban Gambling and Bikini Content

Posted on: July 4, 2023, 08:35h. 

Last updated on: July 4, 2023, 10:41h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

Gone are the days of passive content consumption, where users were at the mercy of algorithms and pre-determined recommendations on streaming platforms. Kick, the still-young rival looking to dethrone Twitch, now allows users to take control of their feeds, including blocking certain gambling and bikini content.

Content creator Kaitlyn "Amouranth" Siragusa in a stream
Content creator Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa, who recently joined Kick, in a stream. The rival to Twitch is adding new controls that allow users to block some gambling content. (Image: Amouranth via Early Game)

The paradigm of streaming platforms has shifted towards personalization and customization as competition increases. It also doesn’t hurt that certain topics have become more taboo – Twitch faced a significant issue because of gambling.

Kick, even though it’s backed by Stake.com and streamer Trainwreckstv, who made millions off his Twitch gambling content, is taking a cue from public sentiment. The new configurations give users more control over their feeds while also appeasing the softer element.

Personalized Feeds, the Smart Solution

In recent weeks, the momentum of the Kick platform has surged. Despite only launching earlier this year, it has swiftly convinced prominent streamers such as xQc and Amouranth to transition from Twitch by redefining how streamer earnings are distributed.

They join fellow former Twitch personality Trainwreckstv, who was among the first to jump ship and move to Kick. He has been one of the primary driving forces behind the platform’s recruitment efforts.

The enhanced functionality to provide users with a more personalized streaming experience makes the platform more flexible. Users can now better control their streams to create tailor-made feeds that match their specific interests.

Utilizing these filters is an uncomplicated task. They are found in the “Settings” tab at the bottom of the display. Two boxes grant the power to hinder any exposure to gambling-related or hot tub and bikini content.

After making the selection(s), switching back to the primary Kick page will reveal that those particular streams have vanished. This feature is particularly useful for individuals seeking to track their own viewing habits, or for those caring to monitor their children’s watching preferences.

The gaming options that a user can block only include slots and casino content. This would apparently leave the door open for Kick to continue to deliver other types of gambling content, possibly even sports betting streams.

Last October, Twitch began banning all gambling sites from its platform unless they held a US gaming license or some other jurisdiction with “sufficient consumer protection.” That policy included slots and other casino games.

Online Streaming Wars Heat Up

Enabling this feature is completely up to the user, and it won’t impact the viewing experience unless he or she intentionally chooses the options. Kick’s decision to provide users with such customizable options appears to be a clever move to promote interactivity among its users.

Regardless of the perspective, it seems that Kick is engaged in a competition with Twitch to establish a robust platform benefiting both users and creators. The latter has been trying to reinvent itself in order to compete with its upstart rival. It hasn’t been easy, but Twitch has given it a boost.

From a content provider’s point of view, the revenue-sharing agreement Kick offers – up to 95% to the provider – is too big to ignore. Twitch changed its agreement structure twice in the past year to give it a larger piece of the action. It can take up to 50% of the revenue.

Kick still has a long way to go, though. Twitch’s latest data shows that it has 140 million subscribers and 16.2 million streamers. Kick has around five million subs and 446,503 streamers.