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For many, Twitch streamers predominantly play multiplayer video games like League of Legends, Call of Duty, Fortnite and Dota 2. And sure enough, Twitch, YouTube and other streaming platforms were popularized by video game players.
However, online casino fans have also been getting into streaming. The first generation of casino streamers joined Twitch as early as 2015. These content broadcasters have tens of thousands of fans and stream daily.
For the uninitiated, below is a sneak peek into the world of casino streaming. Also, find out where this niche industry is headed and whether it’s time you also became a casino streamer.
Casino Streaming Basics
Casino streaming is straightforward. Streamers broadcast content that’s related to online casinos. Sometimes they review new casinos. Sometimes they talk about bonuses. But in many cases, casino streaming revolves around playing slots and table games in front of a live audience.
Unlike video gaming streaming, nearly all casino streamers on Twitch and YouTube are above 18 years. That’s because you need an account at a casino site for streaming. And that’s only possible if you’re of legal age.
Setting up a streaming account is free on most platforms. After that, you need streaming software—some programs are free. Others come at a premium. Of course, you also need a quality web camera and fast Internet to stream efficiently.
Why Do People Stream?
Streaming is a form of entertainment. It’s similar to creating content videos on YouTube or Facebook. The only difference is that streamers target gaming fans. But why would anyone watch a streamer when they can play the games?
Besides entertainment, watching streamers can help you work on your skills. Take Texas Hold’em, for example. It’s more of a game of skill and less a game of luck. Owing to that, watching streamers play can help you improve on your weak points.
As mentioned, casino streamers discuss a wide range of topics. They can help you find great bonuses, casinos and games. Speaking of which, listed here is a guide to the best USA online casinos. Consider joining one of the sites and then learn about how to play slots and card games from trusted streamers.
Do Streamers Make Money?
Making money is a big motivation for streaming on Twitch and YouTube. There are different ways of making money, more so, for casino streamers.
- Paid Subscriptions
- Donations
- Paid Adverts
- Affiliate Marketing
- Selling Merchandise
For clarity, not every streamer makes money on Twitch. New content creators must first build a following by streaming regularly. After you attract 50+ followers and regularly views, you can apply to be a Twitch partner.
If your application is approved, you can then monetize your channel using one of the methods we listed above. Subscriptions come in three tiers. Your fans can pay $4.99 per month for an ad-free experience. Or they can pay $9.99 or $24.99 per month for additional benefits.
Top-end game streamers make in excess of $100,000 per year streaming. Some of them make over $1 million. However, that’s just a small proportion of successful streamers. Many broadcasters struggle to make money streaming.
What’s the Future of Casino Streaming?
Casino streaming is in its early stages. Sure, the new industry has thousands of channels on Twitch and some channels have 100,000+ fans. But compared to video games, casino streaming has a long way to catchup. Here’s what to expect from the industry by 2025.
Twitch has been growing leaps and bounds since its launch. Last year, the Amazon-owned company recorded a 10% growth in traffic within a period of ten weeks. In 2021, the company is expected to grow even further.
The casino streaming niche is expected to gain greatly from the growth of Twitch. Presently, only a small percentage of 1.3 million concurrent viewers of Twitch login to watch casino steams. But this will change with time.
If you’re planning to join Twitch to be a streamer, there’s definitely a place for new casino players. The streaming industry is worth billions of dollars, yet the casino streaming sector is barely tapped.
Presently, many casino streamers make money by partnering with online casinos. Streamers get paid to promote an operator or to play games directly from the operator’s website. Although some fans frown upon these partnerships, they make sense.
Being a small industry, streamers don’t make a lot of money from subscriptions. They also find it hard to sell merchandise. Instead, their biggest source of income is partnering with casinos. In light of that information, expect your favorite casino streamer to sign sponsorship deals with more casinos in the future.
Twitch is the biggest streaming platform for gamers. But as time passes by, it’s getting stiff competition. YouTube is Twitch’s long-running competitor. If you don’t like Twitch, YouTube is an excellent alternative.
That said, most streamers don’t limit themselves to one platform. They have accounts on both Twitch and YouTube to maximize their revenues. As mentioned, you can also stream through social media networks, mainly Facebook.
Esports is a new form of sports inspired by video game competitions. It started decades ago but only became popular from 2013. In nearly all cases, eSports competitions feature video games like Fortnite and League of Legends.
Could eSports grow to accommodate casino games? Sure, poker has an established, competitive industry. But most casino games don’t. With the growth of streaming, developers could create a means for gamblers to compete playing slots, video poker and roulette.
For clarity, we are talking about competitions that feature fans from different casinos. Tournaments don’t have to be hosted by casinos. Instead, fans could organize these competitions and stream everything on Twitch or YouTube.
Conclusion
Casino streaming is a niche branched out from video game streaming. It started more than five years. And it’s growing popular. People watch streams for entertainment or to increase their betting strategies.
On the other hand, streamers broadcast content to entertain and make money. As mentioned, the new industry is mushrooming and could attract millions of fans in the next decade.