Google Announces Updates to Gambling and Games Advertising Policy

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 02/21/2025

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We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.

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Gambling and Games Advertising Policy

Google has announced that it will update its gambling advertising policy. This will see updated country-specific guidelines and more detailed information on different gambling categories. The aim is to enhance clarity for advertisers in the industry.

The Revised Policy

Google will implement the new, revised policy on April 14, 2025. The changes are meant to give more clarity to advertisers in the gaming sector and to ensure responsible gambling advertising. Advertisers will be required to follow local regulations and have valid certifications.

In addition, advertisers must ensure that they target only approved countries, display responsible gambling information, and avoid marketing to minors. A preview of the updated policy is available for advertisers; however, any more additions or changes made to it may not yet be reflected. Once final changes have been implemented, Google will notify advertisers through standard channels.

A statement released by Google read,

On April 14, 2025, Google will update its Gambling and Games policy. The update will include revisions to country-specific guidelines and explain the different gambling categories in more detail. A preview of the revised policy is available now and will be available until the changes take effect on April 14, 2025.

Key Aspects of the Policy

The key aspect of the policy update is to provide a more detailed breakdown of permitted and restricted gambling advertisements.

Certain countries will have specific certification criteria regarding online casinos, sports betting, and lottery ticket sales, and advertising will only be allowed in these countries. Gambling-promoting content, such as affiliate sites, must adhere to local regulations and not link to unlicensed gambling services.

Offline gambling advertisements, including those promoting poker tournaments and physical casinos, will still be subject to restrictions depending on the county and jurisdiction where they are located. Social casino game promotions will also require certification with clear disclaimers emphasizing that no real-money is involved.

The Implementation Process

All modifications to the policy will be made before April 14, 2025, and these will reflect in the final version released. Google commits to notifying advertisers of any of these changes. The company has emphasized that only the changes scheduled to take effect on or before April 14 will be incorporated for now.

Advertisers need to comply with Google’s certification requirements, and if they don’t, they risk ad disapproval or account suspension. It is emphasized that repeated violations could result in permanent bans from advertising on the Google platform.