dark belly
If you are a Twitch fan, you are probably already familiar with some of the most productive gamblers on the streaming platform. With their high stakes bets and entertaining personalities, top players like Trainwreck, Roshtein and Xposed each have garnered hundreds of thousands of followers.
Building a loyal fan base by raising millions of dollars
Online casino streaming players have built a loyal fan base by directly raising millions of dollars, often fueling growth by providing cash gifts to followers. As a result, the slots division reached a historic moment in May by breaking into the top ten most-watched categories for the first time.
But beneath this exciting gambling surface lies a heated debate about transparency. It is a topic that many within the community refuse to confront, with the exception of one of the most prominent slot players Trainwreck. Earlier this year, he called fellow influencers, including both Roshtein and Xposed, claiming they weren’t honest with their followers.
In light of his comments, VegasSlotsOnline News A deep dive into Twitch gambling to shed some light on these players, their losses, and the deals they make with online casino sites.
Train wreck says it all
There’s no better place to start than with the revealing comments of Trainwreck, real name Tyler Niknam. While most other Twitch gambling players seem to win more than they lose, Niknam is very vocal about the fact that he’s down millions of dollars overall. Just look at his comments on Twitter after his record $22.5 million win earlier this year:
In another effort to break the mold, Trainwreck recently announced that he will be rolling out a new mental health program to his fans, called the Community Care Program. He donated $350,000 to the project, and once again, he was quick to target fellow content creators for failing to get involved.
BC only, it means pennies out of their pocket.”
As evidenced by these comments, it’s fair to say that the 31-year-old Texan isn’t a huge fan of his peers. His main complaints relate to the lack of transparency others show regarding big money deals with casino sites, as well as their overall winnings and losses. In a particularly scathing rant on his schedule in February, he said:
“Selling the false truth is just a hard blow. Trying to show that gambling is profitable every day is just stupid. There really is an attraction to gambling for humans, there is no need to sell a false truth about it.”
profitable business
In February, Trainwreck drew attention to a schedule of Swedish Roshtein’s earnings over a three-week period. Somewhat surprisingly, the streaming device only lost money in two of its 20 gambling sessions, resulting in a supposed profit of $32.5 million at the time. Twitter user Kuba shared the table:
As most gamblers will bear in mind, it is definitely undesirable to win 90% of the time with slot games – something Trainwreck often knows all too well. He suggested that Rochten might lie to viewers about the losses:
“Maybe in secret behind the scenes, he’s spinning the slots for his extra chases and losing as much as I am. What it presents to the audience is a different story.”
Twitter is full of users sharing similar opinions to Trainwreck. One account called Thompa claimed that Roshtein bet much more than he was allowed to make a fake profit and tricked his followers into playing. Another, Craig H, claims that the Cryptocasino Stake site gives Swedes big multiples to help attract customers.
Niknam recently admitted losing $22.9 million in nine months
Of course, these Twitter users have little evidence to back up their claims, but it’s important to note the difference between the performance of top Twitch gamers. Niknam recently admitted losing $22.9 million in nine months through gambling, only recently winning $12 million of that amount. Similarly, xQc, who has just returned to gambling after a short hiatus, has admitted losing $2 million of his own money in one month.
In contrast, Roshtein and Xposed remain relatively nervous regarding their overall losses. However, as an indication of how much he may have lost, the latter recently lost $850,000 in a single 35-minute gambling session, while Rushten’s biggest loss during broadcast is still at $7.5 million as of October 2021.
fake money deals
Trainwreck also highlighted the fake money deals made between online casino sites and gambling screens. These banners allow gamblers to gamble without any risk to themselves while retaining a certain percentage of the winnings, or earning side pay. He posted about this in a deleted tweet from that year:
Top Streamer xQc also added fuel to the fire recently by questioning sponsorship of gambling. The Canadian confirmed the details of his deal, in which he is supposed to gamble with his own money but with extra cash from his partner at the gambling site. He then explained how this differs from some of the other, more ethically controversial agreements that have been reached in the sector:
“These other deals, lower the risk and lower the reward, make it stagnant for the promotional dogs**, and it shows something that isn’t real. It’s fiction. It’s fake.”
Since gambling banner players are understandably secretive about these deals, it is hard to find any evidence of them at all. However, some Reddit users believe that Roshtein gave up the game in 2019 when a viewer asked him if he was playing slot for real money or in practice mode. When Roshtein clicked on demo to show him the difference, the same $22,000+ balance appeared. He later argued that this was a mistake.
Regardless of the controversy, the biggest gambling names on Twitch are funded by the sites they visit. Trainwreck recently confirmed that he receives a flat fee of at least $1 million per month for gambling on Twitch, while influencer Mezkief confirmed that gambling companies will pay influencers up to $10 million for sponsorships. Counterfeit money or not, the operators facilitate gambling on their sites.
Archaeology
When xQc briefly left the gambling business last year, he apologized for exposing his audience – including young minors – to gambling. Now, he’s back and running more than ever in front of his 11 million fans. Similarly, Trainwreck has amassed 2 million followers through Habit, Roshtein 1 million, and Xposed 513,000.
A link between watching these streams and self-reported problems with gambling
With such a large audience, the importance of protecting viewers in the Twitch gambling sector has never been greater. One of the first studies In a UK gambling live stream, they discovered that adults who watched people playing slot machines on Twitch were more likely to play themselves. Even more alarming, it also revealed a link between viewing these streams and self-reported issues.
Twitch has taken some steps to limit any harmful effects of gambling influencers. In 2021, the streaming service banned anyone from sharing referral codes or links to gambling sites directly on their videos. However, referring to the impact the banners could have on their own liberties if they continued to stir controversy, other top influencers called for tougher reform:
Whether you agree with Asmongold or not, it is clear that gambling on Twitch Streamers must take responsibility for their actions. Its fan base appears poised to continue its growth trajectory, and transparency regarding sponsorship deals, fake money deals, and P&Ls appears to be the only way to truly protect viewers.
