Google Updates Its Gambling and Games Policy

Google’s Update to Its Policy for Gambling and Games

By Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer Updated: 10 February 2025

Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer

Amelia Walker is a Senior Content Writer at Betting.US. She has a law degree and deep knowledge of the gambling laws in the United States. Her mission is to keep players informed about responsible gambling, while her passion for sports helps her create useful guides. Amelia has over a decade of experience in betting, which has positioned her as a trusted voice among our readers.

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A Makeover on Offline Gambling Advertisement Policies

Google has announced an upcoming update to its Gambling and Games policy, expected to go live in April later this year. The corporation will review and update the gambling advertisement guidelines for each country and change the rules regarding the advertisement of specific gambling activities.

One of the expected changes will be regarding the promotion of offline gambling activities. Up to this point, the rules specified that promoting physical real money gambling activities or establishments is allowed. The new updated policy will amend that with the specification “legal.” This will entail that only legal and licensed gambling activities or establishments will be allowed for promotions.

An Overhaul to Online Gambling Promotions

With the rapid growth of online gambling, software giant Google will also revise its advertisement rules in April. The new changes are expected to expand the definitions of the rules for online gambling advertisements. It is worth noting that entities that promote online gambling, such as affiliate sites, are also currently permitted.

On April 14, 2025, Google will update its Gambling and Games policy. The update will include revisions to country-specific guidelines and provide more detailed explanations of the different gambling categories.

– Updates to Gambling and Games Policy (February 2025), Google LLC.

According to Google’s preview of its new policies,

Promotion of online gambling promoting content other than aggregator or affiliate sites that provide information about, or a comparison of, other gambling services is not allowed.

This will shake up many companies that advertise gambling activities on Google and force them to adapt.

In general, Google LLC will require any entity that wants to promote gambling on the platform to have a valid registration, authorization, and license to qualify as a certified advertiser. Google advises that any company planning to undergo licensing changes should immediately contact the corporation.

Changes to Policies on Games

The same changes are expected to affect game advertisements with a gambling element. Any form of game whose outcome is determined by chance, even if it’s not a casino title, will be subject to strict licensing and certification requirements for advertising. The rules are more lenient for games whose outcome is determined by skill, such as chess.

Social casinos, which have gained significant popularity in recent years, will also experience some policy updates. The main requirements to advertise social casino games include a disclaimer regarding the minimum gambling age, having a valid license, not promoting real-money gambling aspects, lack of logos or ads for real-money gambling, and more. Affiliate websites or entities that promote engagement in social gambling activities will be forbidden.

Of course, there will be country-specific policies for games of chance, as some locations may allow different gambling activities. When a company applies for an advertising certificate at Google, it can receive additional details about local policies and amend its operation accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Google’s gambling advertising policy update, due in April 2025, was expected. Many unlicensed operators advertise online. Up to this point, the rules for promoting gambling activities on Google were not very specific. With these future changes, users can expect a better experience regarding what ads they see and if the entity promoting these activities is legit.