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Twitch Recurring Subscriptions Continue Despite Streamer Bans
Twitch has come under scrutiny for continuing to charge users for subscriptions to channels that have been permanently banned, creating a conflict with the platform’s stated policies.
In March 2025, a streamer, who requested anonymity, revealed to Dexerto that despite their channel being banned, they were still receiving funds from subscribers who continued to renew their subscriptions. This situation contradicts Twitch’s explicit policy, which indicates that if a streamer is indefinitely banned, their existing subscriptions should not renew.
A section on Twitch’s help page regarding account bans states that users will not be able to utilize monetization tools and that existing subscriptions will not renew when a channel is indefinitely suspended.
Further investigation revealed multiple instances of banned streamers continuing to receive revenues from their accounts, some dating back to 2022. For example, in a September 2022 post, streamer Tempest urged subscribers to cancel their Twitch renewals and switch to his YouTube channel, expressing frustration over Twitch’s policy where they take a significant portion of the revenue from a channel that remains unaccessible.
“IDK how it’s even possible Twitch can ban me and still take 50% of revenue on a channel that they won’t unban but it’s quite literally robbing people,” stated Tempest.
In January 2025, another streamer, ‘Incoxicated’, also raised concerns on social media, tagging Twitch Support and the CEO in a post that outlined how recurring charges persisted even after their account was banned. Twitch’s support team closed the case without addressing the user’s concerns.
The chatter surrounding this issue continued on social platforms, with more banned creators sharing similar experiences. Shortly after being banned, streamer xJappa informed Twitch of ongoing charges despite being suspended. He noted that a number of his subscribers remained active, raising further questions about Twitch’s subscription management.
Another streamer, SokkzVR, in March 2025, directly appealed to Twitch on social media, encouraging subscribers to cancel their memberships due to being charged despite his channel’s ban. Responses from subscribers indicated frustration with Twitch’s handling of the situation, including denied refund requests.
After reaching out to Twitch for a response regarding the subscription issues tied to banned accounts, Dexerto noted that both SokkzVR and xJappa had their bans lifted within a day. This raises questions about the efficacy and intent of Twitch’s enforcement measures.
Many users have expressed the need for better policies, suggesting in forums that Twitch should automatically refund users subscribed to banned channels. Beyond recurring subscriptions for banned streamers, there are also reports of inactive accounts still receiving payments from subscribers.
Twitch Confirms Subscribers Are Billed After Permabans
Upon inquiry, Twitch acknowledged that ideally, subscriptions should be canceled when a channel is banned or deleted but noted that such situations might be classified as edge cases. The company asserted that when these instances occur, users are supposed to receive a refund.
However, details concerning the prevalence of these edge cases and the mechanisms behind them were not disclosed. Twitch explained that a grace period exists to allow streamers to retain subscriptions during an appeals process, but specifics about this period remain vague.
This situation sheds light on the complexities surrounding Twitch’s policies and raises awareness about how many users might unknowingly continue to be charged for subscriptions despite a streamer’s ban. Furthermore, the potential revenue from these auto-renewed subscriptions could amount to significant sums.
Legal Perspectives on Twitch’s Practices
Legal expert Andrew Esquire from the YouTube channel ‘Legal Mindset’ suggested that failing to cancel subscriptions in these scenarios might constitute fraud. He stated that companies could face regulatory scrutiny, particularly under rising legislative efforts aimed at enforcing compliance with subscription cancellation rules.
Examples of regulatory actions against companies for similar practices exist, reinforcing the obligation for platforms like Twitch to uphold their cancellation policies. Users could pursue legal action on the basis of these issues, regarding non-delivery of services paid for via subscription.
Considering the essential role subscriptions play in Twitch’s revenue model, the company has seen changes to its payment structures and pricing strategies in recent years, moving from a more favorable revenue split for streamers to a 50/50 model due to financial pressures.
As part of its ongoing efforts to manage revenue, Twitch has reportedly increased its subscription prices, indicative of the platform’s need to adapt in a challenging economic landscape.
Source
www.dexerto.com