Gambling live streams: what are they, and why do they matter
The live streaming of people playing video games has exploded over the last decade with the leading platform, Twitch, boasting millions of regular broadcasters and over a hundred million regular viewers.
Some of the most successful live streamers make seven-figure incomes from their gaming, and many streamers enjoy being part of a like-minded and supportive community that has become increasingly central to gaming culture. However, many live streamers use gambling-like methods to profit from their viewers, while other channels simply broadcast real-money gameplay, ranging from games of luck and skill (eg poker) to games of pure luck (slots, roulette, etc). In particular, the broadcast of real-money slots has become highly popular – raising important questions about the laws and regulations, its potential to lead to harmful gambling behaviours, and the rise of commercial relationships between gambling streamers and gambling companies. This webinar will explore this rapidly-evolving ecosystem of gambling live streaming, and why it should be of interest to gambling researchers, and policymakers.
Key takeaways:
- What is gaming live streaming?
- What gamblified methods are streamers using earn money and followers?
- What types of gambling is being broadcast on Twitch?
- What protections exist for children?
- What are the potential legal issues?
- What will the future of gambling live streaming look like?
Dates and times
Thursday 16 September 2021, 12.30 – 1.30 pm
A weblink to join the session will be shared after registration.
YOUR FACILITATOR
Dr Mark R Johnson is a Lecturer in Digital Cultures in the Department of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on live streaming and Twitch.tv, about which he has published extensively, as well as work on esports, game consumption and production, and gamification and gamblification. After completing his doctorate in England he worked in Canada, and briefly the United States and Hong Kong, before moving to Australia in 2019. Beyond academia he is also an independent game designer, and a regular games blogger, podcaster, and commentator in newspapers, television, and on the radio.
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