01 Oct 2025 The poker world was shocked over the weekend when Brad Owen's YouTube channel was taken down. Owen is one of the biggest names in poker content. Owen has become the face of poker vlogging, with almost 800,000 subscribers and millions of views. Many people in the poker community are concerned about whether YouTube remains a safe platform for making a living as a poker content creator. Brad Owen Faces Sudden YouTube Takedown Brad Owen indicated on X that his second channel, Brad Owen Clips, was shut down for "circumvention." The notification arrived without any prior warning or detailed explanation. Hey @YouTube @YouTubeCreators my channel "Brad Owen Clips" was just taken down. I wasn't given any strikes or anything and I'm totally confused on what just happened. It says it's been terminated for "Circumvention." I read the policy and have no idea how that applies to my… pic.twitter.com/atV1DDWmIx— Brad Owen (@TheBradOwen) September 26, 2025 What’s even more concerning is that YouTube told him he couldn’t make content on any other channel, no matter if it was about poker or not. Owen said he was also confused and that he had read YouTube's rules several times, but still didn't understand how his videos broke any of them. Luckily, his channel was reinstated after going back and forth with the YouTube support team. However, YouTube never made it clear what led to his channel being taken down. It looks like you’ve already appealed, you should receive an email outlining the results. The outcome shared in that email is final, as these decisions are made very carefully— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 26, 2025 In a message to his fans, Owen stated that he no longer believes poker creators are safe on the platform, citing a rise in incidents like this. A Growing Clampdown on Poker Content Owen is not the only one affected by YouTube's new policy. Several poker content creators have had their channels shut down in the past year, and they didn't always get a warning. Popular poker content creators, such as Bencb, Jnandez, CoinPoker, Nick Eastwood, and Ryan Depaulo, have had their channels shut down without warning. While some poker creators were able to get their channels, most were not as fortunate. Popular high-stakes poker player Van Fleet's permanent loss of his channel illustrates the unpredictability of YouTube's rules. Van Fleet is a popular high-stakes poker player. Poker vlogging was once considered a lucrative venture. Creators who are popular and have a large fan base often receive advertising and sponsorship deals. YouTube has stricter rules for videos that talk about gambling. Videos that teach how to play poker, as well as regular vlogs, are being flagged as gambling content. This has forced some poker content creators to shift to sites like Twitch, Rumble, and X to safeguard their content careers. The Bigger Issue: Poker Lumped in With Gambling The new rules from YouTube regarding gambling videos are what's creating the issues. In March 2025, the site decided to tighten the rules and pay closer attention to anything related to gambling. What a shame that poker is often lumped in with online slots and casino promotions, even though poker requires both skill and strategy to be successful. This broad interpretation of gambling makes things very hard for poker content creators. YouTube may label some videos as gambling ads even if they are only about analyzing hands, live vlogs, or game strategy. Most people agree that this wrongly punishes poker players while not affecting other gambling activities with high risks. Poker Community Reaction Poker fans quickly came together to support Owen. Fans and other poker content creators spoke out against YouTube's moves on X: @TheBSweet: Thank god it's not the main channel holy crap— Brandon (@TheBSweet) September 26, 2025 @Joeingram1: Very disturbing the way YT has been treating you— LEGION | Joey Ingram 🐉 (@Joeingram1) September 26, 2025 @CryptoDustLA: YouTube really showing people they suck more and more daily— Legend "I'm Just A Degen" James (@CryptoDustLA) September 28, 2025 @MSchu18: looks like you tried or attempted to 'circumvent' another policy that was violated... not sure what policy that might have been or if have a 'clips' channel that merely shows shortened content from your main channel is the reason.Clips aren't meant for foreshortened content from…— Michael Schumacher (@MSchu18) September 26, 2025 Many people agreed with the idea that YouTube's war on gambling is unfairly targeting poker. Some people have even suggested that ClubWPT ads or sponsorships may be triggering automatic flags, despite these activities being legal and regulated. @Hyzenba: Possible for all the promotion to WPT . Site is not even legit for US based customers.— Josh V (@Hyzenba) September 26, 2025 However, Owen's YouTube channel was later reinstated, but poker creators are worried that YouTube isn't being transparent. For many people, this episode highlighted their concerns that poker content might disappear without notice. What This Means for Poker Content Creators The Brad Owen case highlights a significant issue for poker in the digital age: how to strike a balance between visibility and vulnerability. YouTube remains the largest video platform in the world, boasting more users than any other site. However, poker creators risk losing their livelihoods quickly if there are no clear rules or rights for the game. Brad Owen's scare should serve as a warning to everyone in the poker industry. Poker creators may soon move to platforms that respect the balance between gaming, gambling, and skill-based content if YouTube doesn't make the rules clearer and fairer.
