Casino Streaming Growing in Popularity Across Australia
A new trend of online gambling streaming is emerging across Australia. Content creators are building themselves large audiences through the broadcasting of live casino gaming sessions. Playing a mixture of slots, blackjack, pokies, and roulette – the streamers gamble for real money and receive revenue from paid subscriptions, endorsements and sponsorship deals.
With land-based casinos all over the world suffering a major reduction in footfall due to the pandemic, there has been a surge in the popularity of online gambling streams. ©stokpic/Pixabay
Some critics in Australia are already voicing concerns that the rise in popularity of gambling streaming-only serves to increase addiction. As a counter to this, the streamers argue their content can often serve as a substitute for gambling, and the majority of viewers feel less inclined to bet with their own money.
The world’s biggest streaming platform for online gambling is Twitch, and according to a third-party tracking service Twitch Metrics, slot gambling has already reached 19th position on the platform for the most popular streaming category. According to data collected throughout August 2020, users of Twitch accumulated over 12 million hours of slots broadcasting time.
Entertainment and gambling are closely intertwined from the perspective of the content creators and streamers. The most popular streams are clearly those being run by charismatic and high-wagering individuals. The excitement that comes from spectating a high-stakes bet has proven a real-money maker for those that have attacked this niche with the right strategy. But perhaps the biggest ingredient in this success story has been the COVID pandemic, which has created a massive new base of online streaming viewers across all major platforms.
Streaming Popularity is Boosted by the Pandemic
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic more and more users are flocking towards online streaming platforms to get their entertainment fix. The majority of streams are primarily focused on video games, and many talented players have been able to create a career and produce a very respectable income based on the engagement of their audience.
But beyond mainstream broadcasting there is a massive increase in the presence of online casino streamers. A typical online casino live stream will show the screen of the computer giving a full picture of the casino site, an overlay from the face camera of the streamer, displaying his reactions and commentary to the onscreen events. This personal interaction is a unique way to enjoy the thrill of gambling, without risking your own cash it is an appealing form of entertainment for pokies enthusiasts.
Entertainment isn’t the only thing on the agenda of an online casino live stream – several creators have taken advantage of their influence to host charity fundraisers on the stream. Community spirit, interaction with the viewers, and an outgoing personality certainly goes a long way in this game. With many mid-level casino streamers pulling in an average of 300 paid subscribers at $8.99 each, the money piles up quickly.
Money in Streaming Reaching Nosebleed Levels
There is a clear correlation between the streamers that have the biggest audiences and those that bet the largest amounts. It is not uncommon to witness streamers make bets in the high five-figures – and indeed there have been wins exceeding quarter-of-a-million dollars live-streamed over Twitch in the previous months.
On the flip side, there are many other segments of the online gambling streaming community that play at an amateur rate, with stakes made at a much more modest size and intensity. These groups can be found on social media, and provide an excellent forum for enthusiasts to share their experiences, trials, and tribulations.
Many streamers operating in this niche market claim their content is a helpful tool for combating the devastating effects of uncontrollable gambling addiction. There is a lot of new evidence being produced to back up this claim – and many viewers claim the streams prevent them from wanting to deposit real money into an online casino.
Another fundamental aspect of the online streaming business is transparency when it comes to the income statement. Any respectable streamer will be completely open about his wins and losses, trying to mask up losses and give the illusion of profitability would be the downfall of any content creator who is exposed misleading the viewers in this style.
