xQC Returns to Streaming Online Gambling After Big Losses

08:30
31 May

After taking a break from sponsored online gambling broadcasts for about a year, Félix “xQc” Lengyel, one of the world’s most prominent video game streamers, has started streaming again.

Despite acknowledging that he was “somewhat, if not substantially” addicted to gambling, xQc,, most known for his streaming of the video game Overwatch (he used to be a professional player in the Overwatch League), stopped broadcasting gambling content in June 2021.

Nonetheless, xQc began streaming online slots again. Several of his viewers chastised him for it, so he felt compelled to justify his decision. The polarizing streamer ultimately blamed the audience.

“When the chips were down, they threw us all under the bus, and everybody turned on us,” he stated, most likely referring to previous complaints he got over online gambling streams. “Everyone was a bunch of bitch**. However, when some other streamers [decided to restart sponsored gambling broadcasts], everyone flipped and said, ‘Oh guy, if I had that much money, I’d do it too!'” ‘I like this man!'”

Twitch allows gambling casting, while many people consider it immoral, especially since it may expose minors to high-stakes betting. Slots are one of the top 12 most-watched Twitch categories.

Big gambling losses

All of this happened only two weeks after Lengyel reported losing roughly $2 million in April while gaming. xQc said in a combined stream/podcast with prominent streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys, “Yes, I’m obsessed.” This month, I lost $2 million… $1.85 million, “said Pokimane, who seemed frustrated.

His confession answered Pokimane’s question about whether he would still like gambling if he wasn’t broadcasting it. xQc responded affirmatively.

“I have one of the largest, most outrageously addictive personalities you’ll ever meet,” he continued. I’m hooked on whatever I do […] I keep doing it. Is that satisfactory? No, that’s awful. That is a disease. That’s terrible. I’m sick. But here’s the thing: I can afford to be sick. “I’m fortunate.”

Last year, a significant data breach on Twitch showed that xQc was not just one of the top earners on the broadcasting network but virtually the highest earner overall. xQc earned $8.45 million from August 2019 to October 2021, trailing only “CriticalRole,” which earned $9.63 million.

Despite being suspended many times, xQc was the most-watched Twitch livestream in 2020 and 2021. He recently reached an all-time high with 312,000 concurrent viewers during the Overwatch 2 beta launch in late April.

When xQc’s father found out about his son’s gambling, he contacted him while he was streaming to voice his anxiety and worry. It brought even more spotlight to xQc’s gambling.

Gambling streams making headlines

Numerous times in the past several months, gambling livestreams have made headlines. In February, Tyler “Trainwreck” Niknam, a high stakes slots streamer, called out another prominent gambling streamer, “Roshtein,” for purportedly not being genuine about his winnings and losses. Trainwreck criticized Roshtein for portraying massive jackpot winnings and gambling as simple.

Twitch streamer “Xposed” had a terrible outburst live on camera two months ago after a gambling session went wrong.

He was “bonus hunting,” but he wasn’t having much success, so he transferred his $558,000 balance from the slots to the blackjack tables. Xposed amassed roughly $850,000 before losing it all in about a half-hour. He yelled and raged, blaming the site for being a hoax, before ultimately hurling his chair at his computer, causing his livestream to stop.

Trainwreck won a non-jackpot online slots world-record payout of $22.5 million a week later.

In April, one of Pokimane’s followers said in the text box during her video that he lost $60,000 after being motivated by Trainwreck’s streams to bet big. Pokimane was startled and advised him to get professional assistance.

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