Live streaming platforms have emerged as a key arena for iGaming brand visibility, with gambling and prediction market companies generating tens of millions of hours of audience engagement in January 2026, according to new data from analytics firm Stream Hatchet.
Stake Commands the Field
Stake appeared in 6,600 stream titles across Twitch and Kick in January 2026, accounting for 60% of all iGaming brand mentions on those platforms combined. Its nearest competitor, 1XBet, recorded 1,800 mentions, followed by Betano at 837 and Winamax at 653.
Stream Hatchet attributed Stake’s lead to its structural ties with Kick, the live streaming platform co-founded by Stake’s backers and built in part to accommodate gambling content. A major portion of Kick’s most active streamers carry direct brand affiliations with Stake, which the report said makes competitive comparison with other iGaming brands impractical on that platform.
The top 10 iGaming creators by hours watched in January 2026 all streamed on Kick. Trainwreckstv led with 15.6 million hours watched, followed by Classybeef at 13.9 million and ROSHTEIN at 12.6 million. Adin Ross ranked sixth with 7 million hours watched but held the largest Kick following at 1.9 million, a gap the report said reflects distinct audience behaviors relevant to brand partnership decisions.
Prediction Markets Lead U.S. Chat Engagement
Among U.S.-focused betting and prediction brands, Polymarket and Kalshi generated the most chat mentions on Twitch and Kick, at 12,000 and 11,700, respectively. FanDuel followed at 8,800, with PrizePicks at 5,300 and DraftKings at 3,300.
Stream Hatchet said Polymarket and Kalshi’s discussion-driven format, in which users trade on the probability of real-world outcomes across sports, politics, and current events, translates naturally into live-streaming chat. Both companies also expanded aggressively into the U.S. market in late 2025, with Polymarket acquiring a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated exchange and Kalshi closing successive funding rounds totaling more than $1.3 billion.
Sports Betting Finds Audience Outside Kick
Beyond Kick, sports betting brands are reaching engaged audiences through YouTube and Twitch. Stokastic DFS, a daily fantasy sports channel built around DraftKings and FanDuel lineup strategy, led all creators in iGaming brand mentions, with 742,000 hours watched. Three Barstool Sports channels (Barstool Sports, Barstool After Dark, and Barstool Gambling), collectively ranked second through fourth, with 88,000, 87,000, and 79,000 hours watched, respectively.
Regulatory Pressure Mounts
The Stream Hatchet findings come as regulators in multiple markets move to restrict influencer-led gambling promotions.
Last year, Brazil’s Senate Sports Committee approved legislation that explicitly prohibits the use of influencers in promotional materials for betting. South Africa’s National Gambling Board is also enforcing similar restrictions, citing youth exposure and misleading advertising.
In the UK, charity GambleAware has called for temporary restrictions on gambling content marketing, citing research showing 87% of children aged 13-17 reported encountering gambling content online, with platforms including Twitch, Kick, and YouTube identified as central to that exposure.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
Live streaming platforms have emerged as a key arena for iGaming brand visibility, with gambling and prediction market companies generating tens of millions of hours of audience engagement in January 2026, according to new data from analytics firm Stream Hatchet.
Stake Commands the Field
Stake appeared in 6,600 stream titles across Twitch and Kick in January 2026, accounting for 60% of all iGaming brand mentions on those platforms combined. Its nearest competitor, 1XBet, recorded 1,800 mentions, followed by Betano at 837 and Winamax at 653.
Stream Hatchet attributed Stake’s lead to its structural ties with Kick, the live streaming platform co-founded by Stake’s backers and built in part to accommodate gambling content. A major portion of Kick’s most active streamers carry direct brand affiliations with Stake, which the report said makes competitive comparison with other iGaming brands impractical on that platform.
The top 10 iGaming creators by hours watched in January 2026 all streamed on Kick. Trainwreckstv led with 15.6 million hours watched, followed by Classybeef at 13.9 million and ROSHTEIN at 12.6 million. Adin Ross ranked sixth with 7 million hours watched but held the largest Kick following at 1.9 million, a gap the report said reflects distinct audience behaviors relevant to brand partnership decisions.
Prediction Markets Lead U.S. Chat Engagement
Among U.S.-focused betting and prediction brands, Polymarket and Kalshi generated the most chat mentions on Twitch and Kick, at 12,000 and 11,700, respectively. FanDuel followed at 8,800, with PrizePicks at 5,300 and DraftKings at 3,300.
Stream Hatchet said Polymarket and Kalshi’s discussion-driven format, in which users trade on the probability of real-world outcomes across sports, politics, and current events, translates naturally into live-streaming chat. Both companies also expanded aggressively into the U.S. market in late 2025, with Polymarket acquiring a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated exchange and Kalshi closing successive funding rounds totaling more than $1.3 billion.
Sports Betting Finds Audience Outside Kick
Beyond Kick, sports betting brands are reaching engaged audiences through YouTube and Twitch. Stokastic DFS, a daily fantasy sports channel built around DraftKings and FanDuel lineup strategy, led all creators in iGaming brand mentions, with 742,000 hours watched. Three Barstool Sports channels (Barstool Sports, Barstool After Dark, and Barstool Gambling), collectively ranked second through fourth, with 88,000, 87,000, and 79,000 hours watched, respectively.
Regulatory Pressure Mounts
The Stream Hatchet findings come as regulators in multiple markets move to restrict influencer-led gambling promotions.
Last year, Brazil’s Senate Sports Committee approved legislation that explicitly prohibits the use of influencers in promotional materials for betting. South Africa’s National Gambling Board is also enforcing similar restrictions, citing youth exposure and misleading advertising.
In the UK, charity GambleAware has called for temporary restrictions on gambling content marketing, citing research showing 87% of children aged 13-17 reported encountering gambling content online, with platforms including Twitch, Kick, and YouTube identified as central to that exposure.
Image source: Stream Hatchet
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