YouTube’s Restrictive Policy Threatens Poker Content Creator Livelihoods

What started as a policy update designed to protect underage viewers from gambling content has escalated into a crisis for poker content creators on YouTube. Several poker-related channels have reported a sharp decline in views and ad revenues since the beginning of May, due to automated restrictions on videos that mention or link to gambling websites. Concerningly, even legitimate content is not safe.

YouTube Might Have Pushed Restrictions Too Far

At first, few in the gambling content world objected to YouTube’s gambling policy adjustments. The creator community generally agreed that keeping gambling-related videos away from viewers under 18 was a sensible measure. However, as these restrictions slowly began to diminish the visibility of and demonetize legitimate videos, the community’s patience is starting to wear thin.

Since April, Nick Eastwood, one of the most prominent YouTube poker content creators, has been increasingly vocal about this issue. The problem isn’t simply that gambling content is age-gated. Eastwood and other creators showed that under-18 viewers made up essentially none of their audience. The true damage stems from the algorithm.

I truly believe that if nothing changes, then we are looking at the end of poker content creation on YouTube.

Nick Eastwood

As soon as YouTube’s automated system age-restricts a video, it stops recommending it, effectively pushing it into obsolescence. To make matters worse, it also marks the video as unsuitable for advertisers, diminishing creators’ ability to earn revenue from their work. Eastwood lamented that his flagged videos make approximately 10% of what they used to before the policy shift.

Automated Systems May Be Flagging Legitimate Content

Other poker channels report similar occurrences. Creator Brad Owen said the provision “nukes the views,” while poker pro Kevin Martin calls the change devastating for discoverability. He noted that most people watched videos without logging into their YouTube accounts, meaning that any age-restricted content is essentially invisible to them and nets creators minimal revenue.

I’ve been making poker videos for 10 years, and it’s unfortunate that the platform has put a handicap on poker creators. I’m going to keep creating on YouTube. The dream remains alive in many ways.

Kevin Martin 

Sports betting content creators are facing similar problems. Captain Jack Andrews, professional bettor and co-founder of Unabated, revealed that one of his educational, five-year-old videos was suddenly flagged for promoting unregulated gambling. Once restricted, it vanished from algorithms. Although Andrews tried to appeal the decision, YouTube denied his claims in just three minutes, far too short to evaluate a 10-minute video.

Critics argue that YouTube’s enforcement is opaque and inconsistent. Eastwood mentioned that some of his videos have been flagged, while almost identical content remains unrestricted,  leaving creators guessing about what piece will be targeted next. Poker creators warn that unless YouTube changes its course, what was once a thriving niche might eventually dwindle into obscurity.