Gambling and games policy

Learn about policy for ads promoting online and offline gambling-related content

All creatives must comply with the Authorized Buyers Gambling and games policy, all local regulations, and industry standards.

We support responsible gambling advertising and abide by local gambling laws, and industry standards. Therefore, we don’t allow certain kinds of gambling-related advertising. Gambling-related ads are allowed if they comply with the following policies, and the advertiser has received the proper Authorized Buyers certification.

Gambling ads must:

  • Target approved countries
  • Provide a landing page that displays information about responsible gambling
  • Never target minors
Note: Check local regulations for the areas you want to target.

Creatives promoting online and offline gambling-related content that targets countries not listed will be disapproved. The exception is when the creative is served through Deals (Preferred Deals and Programmatic Guaranteed) where a block override has been enabled by the Publisher.

Country

Open Auction

Private Auction*

Preferred Deals*

Programmatic Guaranteed*

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Taiwan, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea (the Republic of), Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom


 
 

Supported

Supported

United States of America

Supported** Supported** Supported Supported

* Transactions with gambling ads are dependent on the buyer and seller's participation with these features.

** Subject to certification

Gambling

We allow the following gambling-related examples only under certain conditions.

Offline gambling

Restricted Promoting physical and real-money gambling activities, or establishments.

Examples
  • "Brick and mortar casinos” in Las Vegas or Macau
  • Entertainment events at casinos
  • Streaming of offline poker tournaments

Online gambling

If you want to advertise for online gambling, you must be certified by Google. Learn how to apply for certification.

Restricted Promoting online and real-money gambling.

Examples
  • Online casinos and sport books
  • Bingo and slot machine sites or apps
  • Online lottery ticket and scratch card purchases
  • Online sports betting
  • Games using virtual currencies with real-world value

Restricted Promoting sites that contain or link to content relating to online gambling.

Examples
  • Promotions: Vouchers, bonus codes
  • Educational Materials: Tutorials, e-books
  • Tools: Poker odds calculators, software
  • Information: Gambling tips, odds, handicapping, sports picks
  • Affiliate Sites: Sites promoting gambling content

Online non-casino games

Restricted Any online non-casino game played for a prize of something of value where the outcome is not determined wholly or in part by an element of chance.

Examples
  • Fantasy sports
  • Online chess tournaments
  • "Match-three" games (played for money or prizes)

Apply for certification to promote online gambling

If you want to advertise for online gambling, you must be certified by Google. Learn how to apply for certification.

Review the country's gambling restrictions for what applies where your creative is targeted.

To run gambling-related content on Open Auction, you must certify the domain of the advertiser for each country you target before your ads can serve.

Ensure your ads:

  • Only target approved countries
  • Provide a landing page that displays information about responsible gambling
  • Never targets minors

Country restrictions for gambling

Authorized Buyers accounts can target gambling ads only to the countries in the following list.

Tip: If a country isn't listed, Authorized Buyers ads currently don't support gambling advertising in that country.

United States

Product Allowed? Details
Online
non-casino games

Supported

Allowed with limitations

Google doesn't allow advertising for Internet-based games where money or other items of value are paid or wagered to win a greater sum of money or other item of value, except for Daily Fantasy Sports in certain states where it's legal.

Daily Fantasy Sports advertisers must meet the following requirements, in addition to holding a state license where required:

  • Ads may not target minors (younger than 18 years old).
  • A disclaimer explaining that the service is intended only for adult users must be featured on the landing page.
  • Information for problem gamblers must be in the ad creative and / or on the landing page.
  • Advertisers cannot imply affiliations with schools or universities.

If advertisers are targeting their ads in a state that doesn't require a license, the advertisers must be licensed in at least one other state that does require a license to operate.

Advertisers must also be certified with Google. Learn how to apply for certification.

Online gambling

Supported

Allowed with limitations

Google allows ads promoting the online gambling lotteries by state-run entities.

Google allows ads promoting the following types of online gambling by state-licensed entities in certain states where legal:

  • Horse racing
  • Sports betting
  • Online casinos
  • Advertisers must:
    • Not target users under 21 or users outside of the state(s) where they are licensed, and
    • Include a warning against the dangers of addictive and compulsive gambling, and related assistance information on the landing page or in the creative

Advertisers must also be certified with Google. Learn how to apply for certification.

Social casino games

Allowed with limitations

We only allow advertising of social casino games in the countries where the requirements are met and the advertiser holds an Authorized Buyers certification for Social casino games.

Social casino games are online simulated gambling-style games where there is no opportunity to win something of value.

Not supported Promotion of content that directly promotes engagement in social casino games is not allowed.

Restricted In order to receive and retain Authorized Buyers certification for the promotion of social casino games, you must comply with the following requirements:

  • Games must include a disclaimer that they are only intended for users over legal gambling age and must not target minors.
  • The advertiser must hold a valid local license for distribution of their games in the targeted country, where applicable.
  • Games must include statements that they aren’t offering or promoting real-money gambling, and are not providing prizes of real-world value.
  • You must disclose on the landing page or ad if a game includes in-app purchases.
  • Ads, sites, or apps must not use logos, names, or marks associated with real-money gambling brands.

Country restrictions for social casino games

Authorized Buyers accounts can target social casino ads only to the following countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam.

Apply for certification

Advertisers need to apply for certification from Google in order to run social casino games.

Specifying approved app in the declared click-through URL

The buyer must include APPROVED-APP or APPROVED-APP-ID in the declared click-through URL. If APPROVED-APP or APPROVED-APP-ID isn't included, your ad will be disapproved.

The following are examples for declared URLs:

Examples for Google Play:
  • URL: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.APPROVED-APP
  • URI: market://details?id=com.APPROVED-APP 
Examples for Apple App Store:
  • URL: itunes.apple.com/us/app/idAPPROVED-APP-ID 
  • URI:  itms-appss://itunes.apple.com/us/app/idAPPROVED-APP-ID

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