diff --git a/src/components/live/GoLiveDialog.tsx b/src/components/live/GoLiveDialog.tsx
index 44c604cde7..554f562161 100644
--- a/src/components/live/GoLiveDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/live/GoLiveDialog.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import {Admonition} from '#/components/Admonition'
 import {Button, ButtonIcon, ButtonText} from '#/components/Button'
 import * as Dialog from '#/components/Dialog'
 import * as TextField from '#/components/forms/TextField'
-import {Warning_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as WarningIcon} from '#/components/icons/Warning'
 import {Loader} from '#/components/Loader'
 import * as ProfileCard from '#/components/ProfileCard'
 import * as Select from '#/components/Select'
@@ -140,26 +139,13 @@ function DialogInner({profile}: {profile: bsky.profile.AnyProfileView}) {
             </TextField.Root>
           </View>
           {(liveLinkError || linkMetaError) && (
-            <View style={[a.flex_row, a.gap_xs, a.align_center]}>
-              <WarningIcon
-                style={[{color: t.palette.negative_500}]}
-                size="sm"
-              />
-              <Text
-                style={[
-                  a.text_sm,
-                  a.leading_snug,
-                  a.flex_1,
-                  a.font_semi_bold,
-                  {color: t.palette.negative_500},
-                ]}>
-                {liveLinkError ? (
-                  <Trans>This is not a valid link</Trans>
-                ) : (
-                  cleanError(linkMetaError)
-                )}
-              </Text>
-            </View>
+            <Admonition type="error">
+              {liveLinkError ? (
+                <Trans>This is not a valid link</Trans>
+              ) : (
+                cleanError(linkMetaError)
+              )}
+            </Admonition>
           )}
 
           <LinkPreview linkMeta={linkMeta} loading={linkMetaLoading} />
diff --git a/src/components/live/queries.ts b/src/components/live/queries.ts
index 19cb54ebf2..3d58cbb3aa 100644
--- a/src/components/live/queries.ts
+++ b/src/components/live/queries.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,23 @@ import {useAgent, useSession} from '#/state/session'
 import * as Toast from '#/view/com/util/Toast'
 import {useDialogContext} from '#/components/Dialog'
 
+const serviceUrlToNameMap: Record<string, string> = {
+  'twitch.tv': 'Twitch',
+  'www.twitch.tv': 'Twitch',
+  'youtube.com': 'YouTube',
+  'www.youtube.com': 'YouTube',
+  'youtu.be': 'YouTube',
+  'nba.com': 'NBA',
+  'www.nba.com': 'NBA',
+  'nba.smart.link': 'nba.smart.link',
+  'espn.com': 'ESPN',
+  'www.espn.com': 'ESPN',
+  'stream.place': 'Streamplace',
+  'skylight.social': 'Skylight',
+}
+
 export function useLiveLinkMetaQuery(url: string | null) {
   const liveNowConfig = useLiveNowConfig()
-  const {currentAccount} = useSession()
   const {_} = useLingui()
 
   const agent = useAgent()
@@ -30,13 +44,18 @@ export function useLiveLinkMetaQuery(url: string | null) {
     queryKey: ['link-meta', url],
     queryFn: async () => {
       if (!url) return undefined
-      const config = liveNowConfig.find(cfg => cfg.did === currentAccount?.did)
-
-      if (!config) throw new Error(_(msg`You are not allowed to go live`))
-
       const urlp = new URL(url)
-      if (!config.domains.includes(urlp.hostname)) {
-        throw new Error(_(msg`${urlp.hostname} is not a valid URL`))
+      if (!liveNowConfig.allowedDomains.includes(urlp.hostname)) {
+        const services = Array.from(
+          new Set(
+            liveNowConfig.allowedDomains.map(d => serviceUrlToNameMap[d] || d),
+          ),
+        )
+        throw new Error(
+          _(
+            msg`This service is not supported while the Live feature is in beta. Allowed services: ${services.join(', ')}.`,
+          ),
+        )
       }
 
       return await getLinkMeta(agent, url)
diff --git a/src/lib/actor-status.ts b/src/lib/actor-status.ts
index 31e532eaa0..39ab011875 100644
--- a/src/lib/actor-status.ts
+++ b/src/lib/actor-status.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
 import {isAfter, parseISO} from 'date-fns'
 
 import {useMaybeProfileShadow} from '#/state/cache/profile-shadow'
-import {useLiveNowConfig} from '#/state/service-config'
+import {type LiveNowConfig, useLiveNowConfig} from '#/state/service-config'
 import {useTickEveryMinute} from '#/state/shell'
 import type * as bsky from '#/types/bsky'
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export function useActorStatus(actor?: bsky.profile.AnyProfileView) {
     tick! // revalidate every minute
 
     if (shadowed && 'status' in shadowed && shadowed.status) {
-      const isValid = validateStatus(shadowed.did, shadowed.status, config)
+      const isValid = validateStatus(shadowed.status, config)
       const isDisabled = shadowed.status.isDisabled || false
       const isActive = isStatusStillActive(shadowed.status.expiresAt)
       if (isValid && !isDisabled && isActive) {
@@ -65,19 +65,14 @@ export function isStatusStillActive(timeStr: string | undefined) {
 }
 
 export function validateStatus(
-  did: string,
   status: AppBskyActorDefs.StatusView,
-  config: {did: string; domains: string[]}[],
+  config: LiveNowConfig,
 ) {
   if (status.status !== 'app.bsky.actor.status#live') return false
-  const sources = config.find(cfg => cfg.did === did)
-  if (!sources) {
-    return false
-  }
   try {
     if (AppBskyEmbedExternal.isView(status.embed)) {
       const url = new URL(status.embed.external.uri)
-      return sources.domains.includes(url.hostname)
+      return config.allowedDomains.includes(url.hostname)
     } else {
       return false
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/statsig/gates.ts b/src/lib/statsig/gates.ts
index 357548d3b1..bec44521ae 100644
--- a/src/lib/statsig/gates.ts
+++ b/src/lib/statsig/gates.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export type Gate =
   | 'disable_settings_find_contacts'
   | 'explore_show_suggested_feeds'
   | 'feed_reply_button_open_thread'
+  | 'live_now_beta'
   | 'old_postonboarding'
   | 'onboarding_add_video_feed'
   | 'onboarding_suggested_starterpacks'
diff --git a/src/state/service-config.tsx b/src/state/service-config.tsx
index 242022b60d..4a9367b45d 100644
--- a/src/state/service-config.tsx
+++ b/src/state/service-config.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import {createContext, useContext, useMemo} from 'react'
 
+import {useGate} from '#/lib/statsig/statsig'
 import {useLanguagePrefs} from '#/state/preferences/languages'
 import {useServiceConfigQuery} from '#/state/queries/service-config'
+import {useSession} from '#/state/session'
+import {IS_DEV} from '#/env'
 import {device} from '#/storage'
 
 type TrendingContext = {
@@ -18,7 +21,7 @@ const TrendingContext = createContext<TrendingContext>({
 })
 TrendingContext.displayName = 'TrendingContext'
 
-const LiveNowContext = createContext<LiveNowContext | null>(null)
+const LiveNowContext = createContext<LiveNowContext>([])
 LiveNowContext.displayName = 'LiveNowContext'
 
 const CheckEmailConfirmedContext = createContext<boolean | null>(null)
@@ -82,19 +85,34 @@ export function useTrendingConfig() {
   return useContext(TrendingContext)
 }
 
-export function useLiveNowConfig() {
+const DEFAULT_LIVE_ALLOWED_DOMAINS = ['twitch.tv', 'www.twitch.tv']
+export type LiveNowConfig = {
+  allowedDomains: string[]
+}
+export function useLiveNowConfig(): LiveNowConfig {
   const ctx = useContext(LiveNowContext)
-  if (!ctx) {
-    throw new Error(
-      'useLiveNowConfig must be used within a ServiceConfigManager',
-    )
+  const canGoLive = useCanGoLive()
+  const {currentAccount} = useSession()
+  if (!canGoLive) return {allowedDomains: []}
+  if (!currentAccount?.did) return {allowedDomains: []}
+  const vip = ctx.find(live => live.did === currentAccount.did)
+  if (vip) {
+    return {
+      allowedDomains: vip.domains.concat(DEFAULT_LIVE_ALLOWED_DOMAINS),
+    }
+  }
+  return {
+    allowedDomains: DEFAULT_LIVE_ALLOWED_DOMAINS,
   }
-  return ctx
 }
 
-export function useCanGoLive(did?: string) {
-  const config = useLiveNowConfig()
-  return !!config.find(cfg => cfg.did === did)
+export function useCanGoLive() {
+  const gate = useGate()
+  const {hasSession} = useSession()
+  if (!hasSession) return false
+  const isInBeta = IS_DEV ? true : gate('live_now_beta')
+  if (!isInBeta) return false
+  return true
 }
 
 export function useCheckEmailConfirmed() {