Down The Tubes: Age-Related Restrictions Dealing Poker Creators Bad Beats

When it comes to gambling content policy changes announced by YouTube six months ago, there’s been a massive gap between the stated intention and the actual impact.

The headline published on CNN’s website on March 4 declared clearly the objective of the video streaming site’s updated policies: “YouTube cracks down on gambling videos trying to lure viewers to unapproved sites.”

In the article, YouTube spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle elaborated: “We’ve strengthened our policies that prohibit content directing viewers to unapproved gambling websites or applications. We will also begin age-restricting content that promotes online casinos.”

At the time, nobody in the gambling content creation community seemed to object loudly. The general reaction was along the lines of, “Sure, restrict my gambling content to viewers age 18 and over. Legit operators don’t want underage customers anyway, and neither do I.”

But the objections have grown in volume since, beginning with poker content creator Nick Eastwood sounding alarms in April.

“I truly believe that if nothing changes from this current point, then we are looking at near the end of poker content creation on YouTube,” Eastwood said in his video lamenting the problem.

And it’s not just poker content creators now. Last Thursday, professional gambler and Unabated co-founder Captain Jack Andrews took to social media to share that his sports betting content had landed in the crosshairs as well.

“Today, YouTube informed me that this video, published nearly 5 years ago, showing people the best way to use free bets from sportsbooks was inappropriate because it promoted unregulated gambling,” Andrews wrote. “Which means it won’t be served up by the YT algorithm anymore. Which means it’ll get virtually no views. Never mind that other videos which promote irresponsible gambling, give faulty advice, or shill for casinos/sportsbooks dominate your timeline when you log into YT. This continues to happen to my videos. Hard to believe it’s not targeted.”

Flagged and dragged

As Eastwood detailed, the problem is not that some of his videos have gotten age-restricted, as he said they’re not intended for those under 18 and the analytics told him (and Andrews as well) that zero percent of his prior viewership was under that age anyway. “If that was the only thing that was happening,” he said, “no one would have a problem and we’d all go on merrily with our lives.”

The problem, for Eastwood and others, is that a video getting flagged as age-restricted means it’s also flagged as not suitable for ads — and therefore nearly impossible to monetize. On top of that, the YouTube algorithms no longer promote the videos, giving them “zero discoverability” — right in line with what Andrews tweeted about his newly restricted videos.

Eastwood said in April that his flagged videos were generating about 10 percent of the revenue that his videos had been producing prior to the policy update.

Eastwood cited fellow content creator Brad Owen as saying the new rule “nukes the views.” Others in the poker content community have since chimed in to say likewise.

In August, poker player Kevin Martin posted a thread that noted, “Youtube wants to keep online gambling content away from minors (I LOVE THIS). While their hearts are in the right place, online poker is crudely [grouped] with other toxic gambling games. Now on youtube any online poker video is automatically age restricted to 18+.”

Martin continued: “This kills the content as viewers need to be logged into their Youtube accounts to watch the video (Most are not) The YouTube algorithm then stops recommending your video even if it was crushing.”

Earlier this month, professional poker player Fernando Habegger had his YouTube channel temporarily taken down because he received “three strikes” for YouTube violations — which Habegger said were related to older videos.

Make it make sense

Eastwood also complained that it seemed random which of his poker videos got age-restricted and which didn’t.

In response to Andrews’ post about his sports betting videos getting hit, gambling industry podcaster Jesse Learmonth shared his own complaint about hard-to-figure video removals, writing: “YT recently removed 6 episodes of the @BettingStartups Podcast too… completely out of the blue, and with no explanation. And we’re not even talking about the actual act of betting on my pod!”

Andrews further noted that he appealed YouTube’s decision to label his video inappropriate, and the subsequent timing makes clear that he was not exactly given due process.

“At 11:22am I filed my appeal,” Andrews wrote last Thursday. “At 11:25am they returned their final decision that restriction was warranted. Mind you, it’s a 10-minute video. They didn’t even bother to watch.”

Casino Reports reached out to Bullwinkle Monday for a comment on behalf of YouTube but did not receive an immediate response.

Eastwood has continued producing videos, but his exasperation expressed six months ago continues to ring true for many gambling content creators.

“Nobody below the age of 18 was watching the videos anyway, because there’s an option that says ‘not for kids.’ There’s ‘18+’ banners all over my content,” he said. “Why am I not able to make ad revenue off of people over the age of 18?

“I’ve put everything in this channel. If they don’t change this, we’re cooked.”