YouTube is set to ramp up its enforcement of Community Guidelines focusing on online gambling and graphic violence in gaming. This new direction could have significant implications for esports content tied to popular games like Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Call of Duty, and Rainbow Six Siege.
New Guidelines and Their Reach
The revised rules, scheduled to take effect on November 17th, 2025, will broaden current restrictions related to gambling content. Sources indicate that YouTube will target videos directing viewers to online gambling involving items with real-world value, including digital assets such as in-game skins, cosmetics, and NFTs. This move is poised to impact creators and esports organizations, particularly within CS2, where the skin trading and betting ecosystem has been a staple of both interest and controversy.
Potential Impact on Esports
The updated regulations will also encompass graphic gaming content, with YouTube planning to age-restrict videos depicting realistic human characters in violent scenes. Games like CS2, Rainbow 6, and Call of Duty could feel the effects, though YouTube has assured that most channels will notice minimal impact. Existing videos that fall afoul of these new rules may face removal or age restrictions, and creators should prepare by adjusting video descriptions, editing footage, or blurring content ahead of the deadline. Previous criticisms of YouTube’s enforcement around gaming content highlight the need for esports entities to revisit publishing strategies, ensuring compliance and maintaining visibility and revenue streams.