Are Poker Content Creators 'Cooked' Due to YouTube Age Restriction Policy?
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A new YouTube policy has some poker content creators concerned that their ability to monetize their skills is in jeopardy.
Kevin Martin, an avid poker player and content creator, shared details on X about a new YouTube policy he fears could negatively impact his industry. He began his doom and gloom tweetstorm with a bold claim: "All online poker content is COOKED with new YouTube Policy."
Martin started posting poker videos 10 years ago and has over 130,000 subscribers. He's also active and has a large following on social media platforms such as Instagram and X. But YouTube is where many content creators in various industries generate the bulk of their revenue.
Why Poker Player is Concerned
The GGPoker ambassador applauds YouTube's efforts to keep gambling content away from minors. But he explains that "while their hearts are in the right place," he feels it's unfair to lump online poker in with the "other toxic gambling games."
"Now on youtube any online poker video is automatically age restricted to 18+. 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," Martin wrote.
Martin then showed a screenshot of two videos he uploaded to YouTube that had over 75,000 views, but are now "dead" due to the age restriction policy.
"The part that kills me is my audience is 99.8% adults. Minors watching my content is not a problem. Meanwhile degenerate content like live slots, live blackjack etc have no restrictions," the content creator continued.
Martin, however, concluded his thread by informing his audience that he's going to continue creating content on the video-sharing platform.
"The dream remains alive in many ways. I've been making poker videos for 10 years and it's unfortunate the platform has now put a handicap on poker creators," Martin tweeted.
Poker Community's Takes
Martin's tweets brought out some discussion about the future of poker content creation. But not everyone felt his pain, and one Twitch streamer gave him some advice.
"Stay ahead of it. The content will just move to a different platform like it always does/has. Find that platform ahead of time and start building an audience there. If people want the content they will find it," @lightning_poker, who streams on Twitch, responded.
One poker player questioned how a content creator such as Corey Eyring, whose longform YouTube videos routinely crack 150,000 views, would be impacted by the age restriction policy, given he's one of the youngest in the industry. Abby Merk (aka "AbbyPoker") and Ethan "Rampage" Yau are just some of the other talented YouTubers who appeal to a younger audience.
"Makes so much sense. I have 2 videos posted, both were doing well then I got the notification and they fell off a cliff. TikTok is the same way," Josh Fischer (@AsgardAce) commented.
"The right title and description can help avoid restrictions. Phrases like “means everything” or “biggest” might look like clickbait to YouTube, especially in the context of poker. Changes in wording can keep things within YouTube’s guidelines and avoid age restrictions," @GGPokerClips advises.
Alexandra Botez, a chess champion who plays and creates poker content, tweeted that some of her short-form YouTube videos were "age gated."
Martin isn't the only poker YouTuber who is seeing a decline in views due to the age restriction policy, and he won't be the last.
