Are Casino Streamers Secretly Using Rigged Accounts?
If you’ve wondered how some online casino streamers win staggering amounts as often as you go to the grocery store, you’re not alone. Casino streaming has exploded in popularity, largely in part to the thrill of people hitting massive payouts.
But the repeated million-dollar wins have led to a lot of speculation. Are these gamblers legitimately lucky, or is something more sinister at play?
I’m going to dive into the controversial world of casino streaming, from the accusations to the actual scandals that have caused a lot of distrust in this niche content creation industry.
About Casino Streaming
Casino streamers play online casino games live, broadcasting their gaming session, while simultaneously running a chat and discussing the action as it unfolds.
It has attracted viewers from all over the world, and not just those with a gambling interest. But why has it gained such a following?
While some wager average amounts, many casino streamers have become high rollers, winning and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a few hours.
Not only is it hard to look away when that kind of money is at stake, but these streamers know exactly how to enhance the excitement with overanimated facial expressions, energetic outbursts, and bigger-than-life personalities.
Ways Streamers Can Deceive Their Viewers
There has been a lot of debate about what goes into this type of content creation. Is it even real, or do streamers manipulate their content to exploit viewers? Let’s take a look at a few of the ways this may be true.
Fake Money
Casino streamers using fake money is a somewhat open secret. Some play games in demo mode, where the funds are truly imaginary, while others receive money from the casino.
It would be less of a concern if streamers were more honest with their audience about this practice. However, some aren’t, tricking viewers into believing they’re playing with real money and taking home million-dollar payouts.
Rigged Games
Viewers have heavily speculated for years that certain streamers use rigged accounts.
Casinos often sponsor streamers as a way to promote their sites and typically provide them with a “streamer account.”
It would be possible to boost the RTPs of games for these players. Some streamers have even hidden the fact that they have part ownership in the gambling sites they’re promoting.
It’s certainly not a good look, and it isn’t helping to debunk the accusations.
Affiliate Deals
It’s not uncommon for streamers to have affiliate deals with the casinos they’re playing at. These agreements give them kickbacks for every player who signs up using their link or bonus code.
Affiliate marketing isn’t inherently wrong. The problem stems from streamers using deceitful tactics to win and profiting off players signing up at a casino or claiming a specific bonus under the guise that they’ll have the same chances.
Why it Matters
Sure, casino streaming channels are for entertainment purposes. However, it would be tough to ignore their influence on impressionable audiences.
These channels often have high viewership among young adults and gambling addicts. According to a study done by Dr. Mark Johnson, Co-Director of the University of Sydney Game and Play Lab, most participants were more likely to gamble after watching live streams.
When you also factor in the dishonest methods some streamers are implementing to inflate their wins, the ethics of this type of media become murky.
Examples of Scandals
So, is all the talk of fake money, rigged accounts, and other shady tactics just theorizing? As it turns out, it does have some basis in reality.
Here are some of the biggest scandals from casino streaming history.
Roshtein’s Disappearing Win
Streaming giant Roshtein came under fire after winning a massive $24 million on Nolimit City’s game Brute Force.
During his live stream, fellow streamer Trainwrecks pointed out that it was missing in the game’s database, which would normally log every major win automatically.
Trainwrecks and other streamers’ recent multi-million dollar wins on Nolimit City slots were all present, suggesting Roshtein was playing with a fake balance.
A few days later, Roshtein somehow produced the win, leading viewers to question its authenticity.
xQc Fake Accounts
Popular online gambler xQc admitted that a lot of streamers get balances from casino sponsors to play with.
He explained how some deals show viewers a “fantasy” and are “fake,” proving what many had already suspected.
In 2023, he also openly admitted to receiving compensation from Stake for gambling live.
PhantomL0rd Gets Caught Fixing Games
James Varga, known as PhantomL0rd, was a YouTube and Twitch streamer who gambled Counter-Strike weapon skins on the website CSGO Shuffle.
In 2016, uncovered Skype logs revealed that James Varga was actually part-owner of the site and was communicating with the co-owner to get pre-determined game results.
He was permanently banned from streaming on Twitch.
How to Spot a Dishonest Casino Streamer
While plenty of casino streamers share legitimate content, some are exploiting viewers. Here are a few indicators of a dishonest streamer.
- Repeatedly hitting massive wins
- Having little reaction to losing huge amounts
- Using crypto casinos or brands known for their strong affiliate practices, like Stake
- Sitting on a large balance, where the average player would withdraw
- Aggressively promoting you to sign up or claim a bonus
Online Gambling Streams Are for Entertainment Only
While you can’t prevent a casino streamer from being deceitful, you can control the content you consume.
Streamers have access to accounts funded by the casino, and some shadier sites may even help boost their wins. Just remember that casino streaming channels are for fun, and you should take everything you see with a grain of salt.
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Ashley Grasse Specialist in Casino, Games, and Research
Ashley Grasse is a casino investigator and writer who specializes reviews and research. She also writes about entertainment, iGaming, and trends. She's a gaming theory enthusiast, an expert on information accuracy that makes difficult concepts easy to understand, and a lover of the outdoors.
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