Kick Removes Hourly Pay for Gambling Streamers Amid Policy Shift
Kick has updated its monetization structure by excluding gambling streamers from its hourly pay model. While the platform maintains its open stance toward gambling content, streamers in the Slots & Casino category will no longer be eligible for hourly payments.
Gambling Category Excluded From Hourly Pay Model
Kick, the streaming platform positioning itself as a bold alternative to Twitch, has revised one of its key monetization features. Effective immediately, creators who stream in the Slots & Casino category will not qualify for the $16 hourly pay previously offered under specific conditions.
This decision reflects a strategic recalibration by Kick, which continues to offer a 55% revenue share to qualifying creators regardless of their content type. While the removal of hourly compensation may impact some smaller streamers, the overall monetization model remains relatively generous compared to industry norms.
The change appears to be driven in part by concerns over responsible content incentives. Critics have argued that offering guaranteed hourly income to gambling streamers might unintentionally promote longer gambling sessions. With the policy shift, Kick has addressed those concerns without banning gambling content outright.
Kick has made it to where Slots & Casino Streamers can NOT earn hourly pay in those Categories.
So if you gamble on Kick, regardless of the site including Stake, while you are in that category you can not get paid hourly in the Partner program. pic.twitter.com/W6dsKNgzx8
— Big E (@Big_E) March 27, 2025
Community feedback has largely supported the move. Under a post by Kick partner Big E, many users endorsed the update. One comment, by a user named FrankIRL, captured the general sentiment: “Gambling’s not content that you should get paid to do.”
Despite the change, Kick has not seen a notable shift in public perception, and the platform’s broader monetization appeal remains intact.
No Retreat From Gambling Content
Importantly, the decision does not signal a retreat from gambling content. Kick continues to allow users to stream and watch such content, employing user-controlled filters to help viewers avoid topics they find inappropriate.
Several of Kick’s most prominent streamers, including xQc, Trainwrecks, Xposed, and Roshtein, remain closely associated with gambling content and often promote affiliated websites during their broadcasts. Some of these streamers maintain exclusive deals with Stake, a major player in crypto-based online casinos.