Last week came the incredible news that Canadian streamer Felix 'xQc' Lengyel has signed a $100 million, two-year deal with Kick, a competitor that recently joined Twitch. The deal was notable not only for its size, but also for the obvious connections between the very popular streamer's constant gambling, Twitch's foot in the door on the same topic, and Kick's being part of an established gambling site (Stake.com)

The site was also noted for its "mega-features.

Needless to say, this megabucks deal has led to much commentary from other big-name streamers and the inevitable drama in the exchange of accusations; Imane 'Pokimane' Anys, in a stream on June 20, was quoted as saying that the $10 million (not the $100 million that xQc won, I don't know why this is the number being compared) said he would not even accept it.

"Why should I compromise my morals and ethics for more money when I have money," Pokimane said.

"That's something I personally find very upsetting. I understand that you need to make money, but to do that when you have money is ...... I'm ashamed to do it."

Pokimane has advocated for a ban on Twitch gambling in the past, and she later stated that her comments were about her own situation, not as a direct criticism of xQc, which is a bit hard to accept. The above comment seems much more focused than that, given the background, the money, and the fact that his name is mentioned elsewhere as to why the kick is being discussed.

xQc, who had seen Pokimane's comments the day before, responded first on the stream and then joined Pokimane himself in the discussion.

You can watch the full 2.5 hour version below, but you will not get that time back. The bottom line is that xQc is unhappy with the immediate application of "morals and ethics" as a win condition in discussions about gambling (which he calls "gamba"). Says xQc, "It's the same gamba-call-win argument." In other words, instead of having a win argument, you layer morals and ethics on top of it."

Pokimane tells xQc that he was "baited" and her clip is taken out of context, distinguishing her own brand from his. Referring to who the ultimate owner of Kick is and how much money they spend on Kick, xQc said in a rather odd way that this is a dwarf vs. Amazon issue: "Are you in favor of inhumane working conditions and no unions?

"I understand that, but whether it's close to those things is a bit of a question. Is Amazon perfect? What is this? Pokimane replied. 'Maybe Gamba is a little worse, maybe the Amazon is a little worse, maybe it's a little better, maybe it's a little better, maybe it's a little better.'

"We always seem to be moving the goalposts somewhere else," said xQc.

"The gist of what I said is that the goalposts stay the same for me," said Pokimane. Said Pokimane, "If I start riding the kicks, the goalposts will change."

On this bombshell, participants discussed how Stake, a gambling site co-founded by gambling and cryptocurrency investor Ed Craven, is behind Kick. xQc asked if she knew what a roadmap in business is, Pokimane noted that she had founded two companies.

As more big-name streamers weigh in, the cyclical nature of the discussion becomes apparent. One points out that Kick is connected to Stake, while the other says Twitch is owned by Amazon. That it is unethical and immoral to promote gambling contradicts the fact that gambling is legal in most states (although there are differences in how it is legal and how it can be promoted). And it's all about brands, too, with all the major firms knowing exactly what stance to take and delivering on viewer expectations.

The above discussion led to further mixed reactions. Says xQc, "It's out of pure insecurity to impose one's morals and ethics on those around you." 'It's nothing more than that.' The very popular Amouranth, who recently signed with Kick, noted Pokimane's recent decision to step back somewhat from streaming and offered an even simpler rationale:

"The reason she cited [xQc] is because she was trying to cultivate influence and relevance in a time when she has none at the moment. I think it was because she was trying to cultivate influence and relevance at a time when she had none," said Amouranth, who had seen clips of Pokimane And Amouranth, who saw the Pokimane clip, said, "I think that's why [Pokimane] was so successful. So she can come back and just participate in the drama and be part of the discussion to earn views and travel. Smart. I don't hate her, but that's the actual reason." [This is because xQc has now decided that watching other streamers smear him and rant against him is a good way to spend his time, and of course, his audience is intoxicated by it." These guys want to dip their bread in sauce and eat it. If [Twitch] fails, they may not be able to do that.

Kick, after some trepidation, certainly has time to have some buyer's remorse: since the start, xQc's stream has included him watching Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight; Kick's staff intervened to stop it. Two days later, xQc streamed several episodes of Breaking Bad. It's a sort of lawsuit speed run, but it's something you can do with $100 million.

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