Google has altered its gambling and gaming ad policy, which could have a significant impact on engagement with iGaming promotions.
The new rules come into effect on 14 April and will see the introduction of heightened country-specific definitions and rules and expanded certification requirements.
At the heart of the changes is an intensified focus on affiliate marketing, as well as aggregator sites, with new changes seeking to ensure that content is informational or comparative.
Furthermore, sites that utilise direct links to gambling sites will be defined as promoting gambling.
As part of the country specifications, the updated policy will certify specific countries where gambling ads are banned.
Looking to take aim at the rise of social and sweepstake casinos, the new policy also categorises the differences between “non-casino online games” and traditional gambling.
The change clarifies how advertisers should approach skill-based games, which are often incorrectly classified under the broader gambling policy.
If a skill-based game meets the legal definition of gambling in a particular region, the advertiser must comply with all gambling-related restrictions and obtain the necessary permits.
This distinction helps advertisers understand when they need to obtain Google’s gambling-related certifications.
The new rules underline that social casino advertisers must apply for Google Ads certification and ensure that they have separate accounts if they also promote real money gambling services.
In addition, Google completely prohibits any advertising of real money gambling on social casino games or related websites. Violations of this policy can result in immediate enforcement action.
Google has enhanced its approach to clamping down on classified violations, revealing that they could result in immediate and permanent account suspension.
It signals something of a shift for the search engine, which has previously taken a lighter approach to this type of issue. However, it is now adopting a zero-tolerance approach.
In addition, serious or repeated violations in other areas of gambling-related advertising can result in similar fines, reinforcing the need for advertisers to comply.
