The Rise of Kick.com Streaming, Gambling, and Sponsorships: How and When Did They Start?

Competition is good no matter the branch and the industry in question because, without it, there is a monopoly. And monopolies are bad because they stagnate progress and by making the experience the only one on the market, dictate whatever goes into it be it good or bad. When there are competitors that are trying to take away portions of each other’s fan bases, things are always better for the fans of either. The reason behind it is simple: you want to be better than that other guy and be the model that they follow and try to beat. In the online entertainment world, it seems that there are no monopolies considering how many platforms and services exist. And there are none of them, at least now.

There used to be a monopoly, however, as for the longest time, there was only one major live content streaming option, the purple platform backed by Amazon called Twitch. Streaming on this service was the go-to option for content creators to share their gameplay and for the viewers to watch it. Sure, YouTube is a thing, but it is not the same as it is video sharing first. However, a couple of years ago, a big competitor that is still on the rise came into the picture, none other than Kick. The Kick.com platform now offers the users a few things Twitch is lacking and with arguably more care towards the users it is a worthy opponent. But how did they start, who owns it, and when did it become so big? More importantly, what made it rise so quickly, and who are its sponsors? If you are a fan of online content sharing and watching and want a high-quality platform to do so, read on to learn more.

What is Kick.com and When Was it Launched?

Initially launched some two years ago on October 18, 2022, Kick is a video live-streaming service mainly for gaming and online gambling with games like blackjack, but also online slots. Other types of content like real-life streams are also there of course, as are arts and other video content. It is operated by Kick Streaming Pty Ltd and backed by Stake.com co-founders Ed Craven, Bijan Tehnrani, and popular streamer Trainwreckstv. Mainly developed and launched to be the competitor to Amazon and their long-lasting Twitch platform that has dominated the space for years, Kick’s main advantages include looser moderation and higher revenue shares for the content creators. As of 2023, Kick averages more than 110,000 livestreams daily.

While Twitch keeps 50% of the revenue and YouTube keeps 30%, Kick only takes 5% of the subscription revenue from the streamers. This means that 95% of the money every streamer makes on the platform is theirs to keep, an incentive that has brought over some of the biggest creators and made many others use this platform over the other two. The platform operates worldwide and Ashwood HOldings and Bijan Tehrani each own 50%. Together with looser guidelines and the fact that gambling is completely legal, it is a more mature platform that does not pander to anyone and therefore makes the obvious choice for people who want fun and content of different types.

Some of the most popular categories on Kick right now include IRL (in real life), Just Chatting, Other (Watch Party), Slots and Casino, Counter-Strike 2, DayZ, League of Legends, Dota 2, Teamfight Tactics, Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA 5), Valorant, Crypto and Trading, EA Sports FC 25, Minecraft, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and many others. There is a great amount of variety between actual video games, but also gambling, and crypto trading, two niches that are not always welcome or fondly looked at.

Big Streamers and Important Sponsorships

One of the reasons why Kick has stormed to the top of the live-streaming niche has to deal with its smart business strategy and sponsorship decisions. In 2023, mere months after their launch, the platform started to bring over the biggest names in the game. They signed deals with multiple top streamers, the first among them being one of the founders, Trainwrecks. Others quickly followed and currently, their roster of popular streamers includes xQc, Ice Poseidon, Amouranth, Adin Ross, Nickmercs, Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, Wrstcol, Hikaru Nakamura, Tifu, and Ilya Maddyson. Between them, there are hundreds of thousands of loyal fans and subscriptions as these content creators bring some of the most engaging content on the internet, on Kick, and elsewhere. Having them signed as partners means a lot and it had a lot to do with the sudden rise in popularity of the service. They even have a signed deal with Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano who is the leading figure in transfer news in all of football.

Another reason why Kick is so big right now is due to their sponsors, mainly the Sauber Motorsport racing team in the Formula One championship and the English Premier League club Everton, as Kick is their official sleeve sponsor. Both of these are huge steps forward in bringing more light to the name and brand as two huge sports competitions now know about it. Considering that Stake and Kick are basically one big company, Stake also has a lot to do with the promotion and brand image of the streaming service. It comes with its slew of sponsors across several sports, including UFC fighters Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, English football teams Gillingham, Watford, Everton, Indian team Mumbai City, USA Cricket, Argentine footballer Sergio Aguero, Formula One driver Pietro Fittipaldi and his brother Enzo Fittipaldi. One of the biggest things they managed to do was strike a deal with the iconic Canadian musician Drake.

The New Rewind Feature

Kick has also managed to establish itself as a platform that adheres to the wishes and suggestions of fans and content creators. The most evident thing here is the large revenue percentage the streamers get to keep, which is the main driving factor for them coming to the service in the first place. Next is the more lenient guideline system and more freedom for everyone involved. Twitch, even YouTube, is too strict and overly legislative with their decisions, making everyone watch their step and not allowing mature content like gambling. Many people enjoy casino games and giving them their own streaming sources matters a lot. Poker, slots, roulette, and blackjack are more popular than many video games and it makes sense for gambling streamers to have a place to share their gameplay. However, one of the biggest new advantages of Kick and an additional hit for its competition is the live rewind feature that is coming to the platform.

Already available on computers and coming soon to mobile, it is the feature where the users can rewind the live stream and watch something they have missed due to lagging, stuttering, or any other issue. Even if they just want to look at it again, they can. Twitch does not have that as you have to wait for the video to be on demand and for someone to clip it. Kick has found a solution to this problem and by listening to the fans allowed it to be a part of their user interface. With simple controls and an easy way to do it, any user can now rewatch a key moment from the game and never miss anything. This makes the entire quality of life experience of the platform better. It is now easier for both sides to experience engagement and content and just have an additional way to interact with each other.