Google to Introduce Revised Gambling Advertising Rules From October

Google is preparing to introduce revised requirements for its gambling advertising certification process, with the updated rules set to apply from October 2026 to advertisers operating in gambling-related markets.

The changes were announced by Google on 14 September 2026 through an update to its Gambling and Games policy. Under the revised framework, advertisers will be expected to maintain what Google refers to as “good policy health” in order to remain eligible for gambling advertising certification. Repeated policy breaches or the revocation of gambling advertising certificates could also have consequences for Manager Accounts responsible for overseeing several advertisers.

Expanded certification requirements across markets

Google’s gambling advertising framework differs from one jurisdiction to another, with individual markets determining which gambling products and services may be promoted.

Under the revised requirements, advertisers must hold a valid local licence for every market they intend to target and provide evidence of that licence as part of Google’s certification process.

Advertisers will also have to submit separate certification applications for different countries.

The requirement is particularly significant for operators and affiliates conducting advertising campaigns across multiple Asian jurisdictions, where gambling products that are legally permitted or eligible for advertising in one country may not meet the requirements in another.

Google’s existing policy already prohibits the promotion of offline gambling in a number of Asian markets. These include India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the UAE.

At the same time, certain markets permit advertising only for specific categories of gambling products. In Thailand, for example, the framework includes provisions for state-run lotteries and horse-racing. Vietnam’s rules include online lottery products operated through authorised Vietlott agents.

Additional requirements for affiliates and aggregators

The updated certification framework also introduces specific compliance expectations for affiliates and aggregators that promote gambling businesses.

Google requires affiliate websites involved in gambling promotion to link only to gambling entities that are fully licensed and authorised to operate in the relevant market. Affiliates must also clearly identify that outbound links on their websites direct users to gambling businesses that are properly licensed.

The requirements do not stop with the affiliate website. Destination websites used as part of advertising campaigns must independently satisfy Google’s applicable requirements. These include displaying appropriate licensing information, enforcing age restrictions, providing responsible gambling resources and making relevant terms and conditions available to users.

The changes therefore create compliance obligations throughout the advertising journey, from the affiliate or aggregator publishing the promotional link to the gambling operator receiving the traffic.

Manager Accounts could face broader consequences

One of the more significant changes for agencies, affiliate networks and other organisations managing multiple Google Ads accounts concerns Manager Accounts.

Google states that a Manager Account may lose its eligibility to apply for new gambling advertising certificates when the accounts under its management repeatedly breach gambling policies or reach a significant level of certificate revocations.

This could have implications for agencies managing campaigns on behalf of multiple gambling operators. Under the revised approach, compliance issues may extend beyond an individual advertiser if repeated violations occur across accounts managed through the same structure.

For agencies and affiliate networks, this means that gambling advertising compliance may need to be monitored not only at the individual account level but also across the wider portfolio of accounts connected to a Manager Account.

Social casino advertising remains a separate category

Google will continue to distinguish social casino advertising from online gambling. Social casino advertising is governed by a separate framework covering markets including India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea.

Social casino games simulate gambling activities but do not provide players with anything of value. Because they fall under a separate advertising category, campaigns promoting these games require certification distinct from that used for online gambling advertising.

The distinction means that operators and affiliates cannot necessarily treat social casino campaigns in the same way as conventional online gambling campaigns when seeking Google Ads certification.

Greater compliance checks for Asian-facing campaigns

For gambling operators, affiliates and agencies targeting Asian markets, the revised rules coming into effect in October are expected to introduce additional checks before campaigns can receive approval.

The requirement to demonstrate market-specific licensing, submit separate applications for different countries and maintain “good policy health” could be particularly important for businesses operating across several jurisdictions at the same time. Affiliates will also need to ensure that the gambling businesses they link to are properly licensed in the markets concerned and that destination websites satisfy Google’s additional requirements.

The effect of the updated framework will ultimately depend on how Google applies the rules after they take effect. This may be especially relevant for advertisers operating across jurisdictions where gambling legislation, licensing systems and permitted advertising categories differ significantly from one market to another. 

By fLEXI tEAM