New Google ad personalization policy for social casino apps

Already in December, Google will update its policy on personalized advertising and remove social casinos from the “Gambling” category. These changes will open up new opportunities for advertisers. What are they? Let’s analyze them further in the article.

What changes should we expect in Google’s ad personalization policy?

Google is once again attracting the attention of marketers: new policy changes will allow advertisers of social casino apps to use personalized targeting. Starting from December 2024, Google will open these opportunities for all players in this category, which is a significant step in the field of advertising technologies. At the same time, real-world gambling advertising remains under strict restrictions.

Key changes:

• Launch of personalized targeting. Starting December 4, 2024, advertisers of social casino apps will have access to customized advertising messages.
• Full rollout. By March 2025, these features will be available to all advertisers in this category.

Social casinos: games without the risk of real money

Social casino apps are simulations that recreate the experience of traditional gambling without real bets. Instead, users use in-game currency to participate in virtual poker, slots, or roulette. Since these applications do not involve real financial risks, Google decided to ease restrictions, providing them with more opportunities to personalize advertising.

Why is this important for the industry?

1. Improve advertising effectiveness. Thanks to personalization, advertisers will be able to create more targeted messages, which will increase user engagement and conversions.
2. Improved engagement capabilities. Social casino advertisers will be able to fine-tune targeting, focusing on audiences with specific interests, which will allow them to expand their user base faster.
   
3. A more flexible approach to violations. The updated policy provides a warning system for advertisers who accidentally violate the rules, which will avoid immediate account blocking. This approach encourages research and testing of new tools.

Impact on marketers

Google emphasizes its readiness to adapt to market needs, in particular for applications that work within social games. Advertisers should expect an increase in ROI due to personalization, which will improve campaign results. However, we will add some tips to pay attention to.

What to consider:

• User reactions. Increased personalization can make ads more relevant, but it’s important not to overwhelm users with excessive targeting.
• Regulatory challenges. The policy changes may raise questions from regulators and the public, who are concerned about the relaxation of restrictions for advertisers close to the gambling industry.

What should advertisers do next?

To take full advantage of the new personalization opportunities, advertisers of social casino apps can take the following steps:

1. Optimize audience segmentation. Use Google Ads audience data to more accurately segment users and create personalized messages.
2. Experiment with A/B testing. Determine the most effective formats and messages that drive better engagement.
3. Monitoring and compliance with the policy. Regularly analyze campaign performance and monitor policy compliance to avoid receiving warnings.

Conclusions

The expansion of ad personalization for social casino apps can be a key advantage for this market segment. From now on, advertisers will have a chance to engage users with greater precision, increasing ROI and improving results. In a time of rapid change, it’s important for marketers to stay on top of Google’s policy updates to maintain a competitive edge. Follow Lead Panda Media’s articles to keep up with all the updates and their implications.