UK gambling commission in talks with Twitch over casino streams

Two casino websites that are not licensed in the UK have recently made prominent appearances on Twitch, and the UK Gambling Commission is currently looking into the matter.

GamesIndustry.biz sister-site Eurogamer discovered the two unlicensed sties being advertised by a number of casino streamers and then streamed as recently as earlier today.

It is illegal for casinos that have not been licensed by the UK Gambling Commission to operate in the country. When it comes to online websites that are accessible internationally, the UK Gambling Commission attempts to prevent the sites in question from being used in the UK specifically.

"We do not talk about individual cases but I can explain our approach to unlicensed sites," said a spokesperson from the UK Gambling Commission to Eurogamer. "When illegal gambling websites are brought to our attention we take a number of proportionate steps to protect consumers in Britain. This will initially involve assessment of whether the site is actually used by consumers in Britain, and then may include engagement with the site owners, and ultimately working closely with advertising and payment providers to cut off sources of customers and access to funds.

"We are currently working with Twitch to prevent unlicensed sites being advertised on their platform."

GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Twitch for comment on its gambling and casino stream policies. The Twitch Terms of Service do not directly mention gambling but do prohibit using Twitch "for any illegal purpose, or in violation of any local, state, national, or international law or regulation" - a seemingly challenging legal proposition for its popular casino category considering distinct laws across international boundaries.