Google revealed important changes to its advertising policy on “Gaming and Betting”, with implementations scheduled for April 14, 2025. These changes seek to establish clearer and more specific guidelines by country, defining categories related to the universe of games.
Essentially, the updates aim to reinforce responsible gaming advertising by forcing advertisers to follow local regulations. Furthermore, it is mandatory for them to maintain valid certifications whenever necessary, which ensures a more ethical approach.
For companies that promote online gaming, it is crucial that they only target approved countries. They must also consistently display messages about responsible practices and, in addition, take care to avoid any marketing directed at minors.
A critical point of this update is the early availability of the revised policy for consultation. This gives advertisers the chance to review changes before they take effect, allowing for necessary adjustments.
Online game ads
Regarding online game advertisements, an in-depth analysis will be applied. They will only be permitted in countries that meet strict certification criteria, covering areas such as online casinos, sports betting and lotteries.
Additionally, content that promotes online gaming, such as affiliated websites, will need to comply with local regulations. Therefore, they should avoid links to gaming services that are not licensed, ensuring security and transparency.
For offline advertisements, such as promoting land-based casinos and poker tournaments, restrictions will continue to vary depending on country-specific rules.
In particular, social casino game promotions will now require appropriate certification, explicitly detailing that they do not involve real money gaming. This approach aims to ensure that the public is fully aware of the nature of games.
Lastly, Google emphasized the importance of strictly complying with certification requirements. Advertisers who repeatedly commit crimes, or provide misleading information in certification, face permanent bans from advertising on the platform.
