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Starting April 14, 2025, Google will launch an updated policy for gambling advertising in Google Ads. And this is not just an update – it is a new reality for everyone who works with betting, casinos, lotteries, and social slots.
Now everything is tough: if you want to run ads, you need Google certification. You also need a valid license that complies with the laws of the country where the ad is displayed. Otherwise – a ban.
To advertise any gambling product, you need:
Example:
A company from Malta launches advertising in Ukrainian with geo-targeting to Ukraine. It must have a Ukrainian license issued by KRAIL and be certified by Google. Without this, advertising will be blocked and the account may be banned.
Bulgaria, China, Egypt are added to the list of countries where gambling advertising is now completely prohibited. This is a minus for international campaigns. And on the plus side, new tasks for teams that launch traffic by geo.
In these countries, even ads for “fan” games or free slots with in-app purchases are now blocked. Operators that worked through the “gray” infrastructure – for example, adapted mobile apps – lose access to Ads.
Advertising of social casinos (games that simulate gambling but do not involve real bets) is now also subject to restrictions. It is necessary to pass certification and clearly indicate that these games do not offer real winnings. Disguising as fan content no longer works.
Example:
The game “Vegas Slots Social Casino”, popular in the Play Market, has more than 50M downloads and uses virtual chips. If it runs ads through Ads, it should:
What will change in Ukraine?
In Ukraine, advertising of online gambling is allowed if you have a license and certification from Google. However, offline casinos are prohibited.
Previously, some licensed operators (Parimatch, Cosmolot, Favbet) complained that their ads were automatically blocked or not moderated due to false identification. UGC (Ukrainian Gambling Council) has repeatedly appealed to Google with a request for correct support of local licenses.
Example:
An affiliate website that used to collect traffic through SEO and redirect to gambling offers will no longer be able to run ads for its content if there is an active link to a gambling service on the page.
Google ads will become a marker of trust. If you see a banner, it means that the operator is legal and verified. There is less risk of running into fake sites and more chances to play in a safe environment. Users see ads of only licensed operators. The risk of getting to fake casinos disguised as legal ones is reduced. Google actually becomes a filter that allows only “white” market players to pass through
More bureaucracy. You need to have all the permits, pass certification, and adapt creatives to each country separately. But on the other hand, this is a minus for illegal immigrants, plus a legal market without gray noise. If you work transparently, you get access to the largest advertising platform in the world.