Drake live stream hiatus ends with new streaming platform Kick

The live-streaming industry has grown massively over the past few years. Major platforms enjoyed more than 7.2 billion watch hours in the third quarter of 2022. The popularity of this industry can be attributed to the advancement of video gaming.

Moreover, live video broadcasting is unedited and unscripted, making it feel genuine. It’s difficult to find authentic content in a world where people are faking their actions for online engagements. However, live-streaming makes this possible, as viewers can watch the content live without any pre-recording.

It offers a unique way of engaging with celebrities like Drake. The Canadian musician joined the community in 2022 by partnering with Stake.com to create the StakeDrake channel on Twitch. Unfortunately, this lasted for only a few months, with the Amazon-owned platform banning gambling-related content in October 2022.

We wrote an article previously about Drake betting millions on Twitch during his final broadcast in October 2022. He didn’t mention his next move following Twitch’s policy update. But that question has since been answered as the “whale” returned to streaming two months later.

Fans were thrilled that Canadian Rapper Drake made his comeback in live streaming on the new platform popular streamer Trainwreckstv supports, Kick.com. The policies of this platform welcome the streaming of gambling websites like slots, pulling Drake back—who is known for his interest in gambling—to live streaming.

Drake’s previous experience with live streaming and gambling pursuit

Aside from his music and production credits, Aubrey Drake Graham is also known for his gambling activities. His love for sports betting and casino gaming runs in the family, with his father sharing the same passion.

Champagne Papi has built his popularity among the gambling community for his high-stake wagers. Every time he decides to bet, he uses a substantial amount of money—hundreds of thousands of bucks—in one go. Of course, he can afford to risk that much given his net worth of more than USD$200 million.

According to the man, his gambling activities are all recreational and not a source of income. That’s probably the reason why he keeps betting despite suffering heavy losses.

It’s worth noting that his losses always have consequences, especially for the athletes he backs. History suggests that most athletes he endorses fail to hit their expected levels. Conor McGregor and Serena Williams are some of the biggest names that lost matches after Drake wagered on them.

The list extends to football and basketball teams, including Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and Golden State Warriors. Conspiracists believe these are the effects of the “Drake Curse,” and they could be on to something.

Anthony Joshua’s loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 is probably the most significant proof of the curse. The Brit’s winning streak was impressive, and no one expected Andy to challenge it. Many believe his Instagram post about Drake before the match might have contributed to the result.

Drake has parted with billions in most of these “curse-related” occasions.  However, 2022 was a positive year for the songwriter, as he finished the year with approximately USD$46 million in profits. This upturn came after making his partnership with Stake.com official.

As mentioned earlier, the two parties ran a Twitch channel. The crypto-betting platform sponsored streams on StakeDrake as Drake hosted the sessions.

However, things changed after Twitch’s announcement in September 2022. The Amazon-owned site said it’d prohibit most gambling-related content on the platform from October. This statement triggered Drake’s plans for the final Twitch broadcast a few weeks later.

It didn’t take long before the high roller was seen on the screens again. Drake made his triumphant return to live streaming, partnering up with popular streamer Roshtein on the new live streaming platform, Kick.

In a stream that featured the rap mogul betting millions, it was clear that Drake prefers betting roulette games whilst also spending some activity on baccarat, blackjack, as well as celebrating with fireworks at the conclusion of the live stream.

So, what does the new live-streaming journey of Drake entail? Keep reading to find out.

The new Drake-Kick collaboration

Drake is one of the most talked about names in the gambling industry today. He’s actively placed bets on big football, basketball, and boxing matches in the past few years. The high roller has become a frequent client of Stake.com’s casino following the deal he struck in 2022.

There is no official report of a direct collaboration between Drake and Kick.com. However, Stake is the common link between the two. Remember, Stake is connected to Kick.com through its role in creating the platform.

Given this relationship, you can expect the songwriter to continue broadcasting his usual content on Kick.com. His popularity and audience size can help accelerate the growth of this new streaming site.

Is Roshtein also part of the collaboration? Like Drake, Roshtein has always streamed sessions of him playing slots on Stake.com. So, his appearance on Drake’s latest stream can be attributed to his connection with the crypto-betting company.

Drake’s first stream on Kick.com

The Canadian rapper’s first stream came on 16^th December 2022, and it lasted for one and a half hours. He hosted the broadcast with Roshtein, another famous Twitch streamer. Roshtein was also a victim of Twitch’s latest gambling update and has found a new home on Kick.com.

Drake went live on Twitch and Kick.com at the same time. However, the Twitch channel featured a single screen showing a link to Drake’s ongoing stream on Kick.com.

This mainly aimed to attract his Twitch fans to the Drake channel on Kick. It’s also proof that the songwriter had shifted entirely to the new streaming service.

He has gained more than 20,000 followers on Kick since hosting his first stream. The session currently has over 21,000 views, which is impressive given that Kick.com is still building its popularity.

The Stake-sponsored 90-minute stream also involved big giveaways from Drake and Roshtein. Several viewers from all over the world enjoyed a share of the USD$2,000,000 reward offered by the two high rollers.

Of course, the stream didn’t miss a few notable moments from the celebrities. One of them was a question about their World Cup Final prediction. The two decided to bet against each other, with Drake supporting Argentina. However, they both lost the bet as the regular 90 minutes ended in a draw. Argentina won on penalties following a 3-3 draw after 120 minutes.

How does Kick differ from the rest?

As many streamers looked for alternatives following Twitch’s October update, Trainwreck joined a project to create a new platform. The famous Twitch influencer complained for many years about the site’s continued neglect of content creators.

The Amazon subsidiary’s policy updates keep coming frequently, but they rarely benefit the creators. In the most recent change, Twitch banned the broadcasting of gambling content, which left many streamers stranded.

Another pressing issue that Tyler “Trainwreck” Niknam and his crew are against is the upcoming changes in revenue structure. Twitch plans to eliminate the 70/30 split enjoyed by premium-rated streamers from mid-2023. Every content creator on the platform will receive 50% of subscription money regardless of status.

According to Trainwreck, even the 70% share was still inadequate, considering the resources streamers put into their work. Plus, streamers are the main stakeholders in any live-streaming business. Therefore, they deserve fair compensation for their contribution.

Niknam confirmed in his TwitLonger post that one of his earlier announced projects is Kick.com. But how different are the new platform’s policies from other services like Twitch?

• It supports gambling content

Drake stopped streaming on Twitch mainly because the ban directly affected his streams. For one, Twitch prohibited any broadcasts involving specific gambling sites, one of which is Stake.com.

The update also prevents streamers from streaming content regarding slots, roulette, and other unlicensed games. Since all games aired on StakeDrake were slots, the channel can’t operate without breaking Twitch’s rules.

The songwriter is just one of many streamers who can no longer do what they love on the purple platform. Fortunately, Kick.com is joining the industry with favorable policies regarding gambling.

Kick’s creators have shown a lot of bravery by supporting gambling, one of the most controversial content on the internet. This is probably the most significant factor that distinguishes Kick.com from the other players in the industry.

After being expelled from Twitch, Stake.com joined Trainwreck and other owners in creating Kick.com. The crypto-betting site is one of the most prominent stakeholders on the new platform, which explains Kick’s gambling support.

• Its revenue split favors content creators

The revenue split policy is another area that Trainwreck mentioned in most of his podcasts and interviews. Niknam and fellow streamers aren’t happy about the current compensation structure adopted by Twitch. As mentioned, every creator on the platform will earn 50% of subscription money in the long run.

Kick’s objective is to be more streamer-centric in any commercial sense. The Trainwreck-backed site’s main marketing agenda has been the 95/5 split. Streamers will earn 95% of subscription money, while the platform will use the remaining 5% for maintenance.

On top of that, content creators will keep 100% of their kicks. During streaming sessions, subscribers often send tips. However, most sites take a percentage of the donations, but that’s bound to change with Kick.com.

Enjoying a 95/5 split and 100% of tips will significantly increase the streamers’ income. This high earning potential may also attract more content creators, hence growing the Kick community.

• It features clear terms of service (TOS)

Terms of service (TOS) are essential in any business sector, and live streaming is no exception. Unfortunately, Twitch has been on the wrong end of critics for the structure of its TOS.

According to Niknam and other vocal streamers, Twitch’s unclear TOS contribute to many ambiguous bans. As a result, content creators are sometimes caught off-guard because some policies aren’t straightforward.

Kick.com is building something different with its easy-to-understand terms of service. These policies will minimize unexplainable bans, and streamers won’t feel hard done in case of a suspension.

Are there any concerns about the Drake-Kick collaboration?

A few eyebrows were raised when Drake made his return to live streaming. Here’s why:

• Kick’s gambling policies

As you’d expect, the onlookers’ main concern was the rapper’s involvement with Kick.com, a platform whose policies support gambling activities. Gambling is a controversial topic, especially in the live-streaming industry. So, you can understand why some people are worried.

However, Kick.com has strict policies against irresponsible gambling. Inasmuch as the streaming service allows the broadcasting of slots and similar games, streamers must adhere to the platform’s rules.

For instance, gambling content shouldn’t be shared with people below the legal age. Drake’s first stream adhered to this rule, as the description stated that only viewers above 18 were allowed on board.

• Enhancing the popularity of crypto betting

Crypto betting companies have often suffered negative societal views. Perhaps one of the reasons is that they’re sometimes used in money laundering. But this is usually possible when the betting firm isn’t licensed.

Stake.com, which is directly linked to Kick.com, is licensed in various countries, including Curacao and the United Kingdom. Thus, all activities related to the crypto-betting site are safe for all viewers on the platform.

How did the streaming community react?

There were a lot of reactions following the rapper’s return to live streaming. Some commended the planners of this stream. “Thanks to the staff that put the hard work into putting this together. Hope you all get a good rest over the holidays,” a fan commented on Kick’s Twitter post.

Drake appeared in a Napoli kit, and some fans recognized Drake’s unique fashion choice. But perhaps the primary reaction after the stream was how quickly Kick attracted big streamers. One of the viewers said, “Kick is moving up fast.”

Of course, more of this is expected in the coming months as Kick.com continues to improve its platform.

Conclusion

Many fans have been excited about Drake’s return to live streaming on Kick.com. Because the platform’s policies support the streaming of gambling websites, Drake has made a comeback in live streaming. His first stream on Kick.com was a success and fans are looking forward to his future streams.