Poker Vlogger Brad Owen's YouTube Channel Banned and Reinstated
Brad Owen, arguably the most popular poker vlogger in history, dodged a bullet after YouTube banned his channel.
The Northern California poker pro recently received notice from YouTube informing him that his "Brad Owen Clips" channel had been banned, which came as a surprise. But to make matters worse, it appeared his main channel, which has 787,000 subscribers, would also be in jeopardy.
Poker Vlogger Shares Details
YouTube began cracking down on gambling content earlier this year, specifically channels that are accessible to minors and promote illegal gambling sites. Streamer Kevin Martin, a GGPoker ambassador, became concerned last month that poker content creators are "cooked" due to the crackdown.
Owen, among the early poker vloggers, represents ClubWPT Gold, a U.S.-facing sweepstakes poker site backed by the World Poker Tour (WPT) brand. ClubWPT Gold has not been deemed illegal, at least at this point, in most states. But it appears the video platform initially believed he violated the site's Circumvention policy, not due to anything related to anti-gambling measures.
The policy prohibits users from starting a new channel after another channel is banned. Owen shared on X the email he received from YouTube.
The @TeamYouTube X account responded to Owen's tweet, informing him they're aware he's already appealed the ban. He was also made aware that the "outcome shared in that email is final, as these decisions are made very carefully."
Owen responded, asking if he could continue posting to his main channel, where he's vlogged his poker journey for the past nine years.
"If you have a terminated channel, you won't be able to use, own, or create any other YouTube channels," the YT account responded.
Owen, given the size of his YouTube audience, generates a significant amount of revenue from the content he creates. Getting banned could be devastating. But this story has a happy ending.
The ClubWPT Gold ambassador, on Friday afternoon, informed his X followers that he won his appeal. YouTube determined his channel "does not violate our Community Guidelines." Owen's side channel was immediately reinstated, and his main channel is no longer in jeopardy of a ban.
