Lex Veldhuis: Kick 'Toxic as F***', Stake 'Does All the Wrong Things'
The Kick streaming app is looking to overtake Twitch when it comes to poker content, but at least one top player recently came out condemning the app.
Lex Veldhuis referred to the streaming platform as “Toxic as F**k,” while calling its main streamers “knuckleheads”.
He is demanding that changes be made before he even considers joining.
Btw lots of people asking why I’m not streaming on Kick. I won’t unless something significant changes over there.
— Lex Veldhuis (@LexVeldhuis) June 10, 2023
The platform is toxic af, powered by a gambling platform that does all the wrong things.
Also the main streamers there are knuckleheads I want nothing to do with.
Twitch, the popular streaming platform, faced significant backlash when it removed content from unregulated gambling sites and those streamers that promoted them. Veldhuis expressed how on his end he was forced to make changes as a result of the new policy.
"Sucks to have to take a step back by baffling, decisions on Twitch’ end. However, completely scraping what I’ve built there for 7 years just doesn’t make sense."
Kick has come under fire for what some see as a conflict of interest as a result of its relationship to the Drake-endorsed Stake.com.
Stake.com's involvement in the Kick streaming app is in dispute however. Stake's founders own Kick, however, "Stake.com as an entity is not directly affiliated with the streaming service", writes Chav Vasalev of Bonus.com. He does add that "their complicated relationship is yet to be completely unveiled".
From Bonus.com:
This revelation came to light when the full name of Kick, listed as Kick Streaming Pty Ltd, was displayed on iOS. Registered in Australia in November 2022, the sole owner of Kick Streaming is Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd, and its director Brais Pena.
A deeper investigation reveals that Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd was established only a few months prior, in August 2022. Records indicate that Bijan Tehrani, one of Stake’s founders, owns a 2/3 stake in Easygo. The remaining share is held by Ashwood Holdings Pty Ltd, which Ed Craven, the other founder of Stake, solely owns.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
