**Kick Enhances KYC and ID Verification for Gambling Content**
Kick is implementing stricter KYC and ID verification measures for gambling content. As detailed in a series of upcoming regulations, starting next February, streaming gambling content will be restricted to sites that have authenticated viewers’ identities through proper KYC processes.
This move is part of a broader collaboration with the Internet Watch Forum (IWF) to curb “harmful and exploitative” content. To reinforce these efforts, Kick has introduced a major update to its safety hub and enabled streamers to customize their chat settings, aiming to eliminate bots.
Gambling content has been an integral component of Kick since its inception by founders Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven, who also established Stake. Over time, streaming has transformed, particularly in the gambling sector, with the rise of crash games and enhanced engagement through slot gamification.
Prominent streamers have played a crucial role in expanding Kick’s offerings in the gambling content arena. The platform’s revised guidelines coincide with an increasing number of streamers transitioning to Stake for content streaming.
While Kick’s newest measures received substantial approval, a streamer known as Xposed expressed his dissatisfaction on X. He remarked, “Kick was meant to be a haven for gamblers to stream freely. However, Stake’s streamers are dwindling, prompting an additional KYC layer on their site.”
He continued, “This is about exerting complete control over their platform, compelling everyone back to Stake to exclusively promote their product. Streamers promoting other gambling sites find their visibility reduced, not being featured on Kick’s front page or recommended section, thereby hindering discovery and pressuring non-Stake streamers.”
