Online gambling advertisers, affiliates and tip sites are scrambling after a string of Google policy moves this year tightened rules around gambling-related advertising, reclassified sweepstakes casinos and raised fresh compliance risks for operators and advice platforms alike. The changes – introduced in April 2025 and reinforced later in the year – are already reshaping how online casinos acquire users and how publishers deliver tips and strategy content to audiences. (infoplay.info)
What changed and why it matters
On April 14, 2025 Google rolled out a major update to its Gambling and Games advertising policy, tightening certification, targeting and content requirements for ads that link to gambling products or services. The update made clear that any marketing linking to real-money gambling must be certified, target only jurisdictions where the advertiser is licensed, and include responsible-gambling disclosures on landing pages – moves Google framed as protecting consumers and aligning ads with local law. (infoplay.info)
Industry attention spiked again when Google amended the policy’s examples on Oct. 28, 2025 to explicitly reclassify sweepstakes casinos – operators that use dual-currency models where one token can be redeemed for cash or prizes – as falling outside the “social casino” category and squarely under gambling rules. That reclassification closes a long-standing loophole many sweepstakes platforms used to advertise without the stricter certification previously required for real-money gambling. (agbrief.com)
These moves have practical consequences for anyone producing tips, reviews or acquisition content. Ad campaigns that previously relied on search or display channels must now be audited for certification and geo-targeting; publishers linking directly to sweepstakes or casino offers risk having pages treated as gambling ads subject to immediate disapproval or account suspension. Operators told trade outlets that the policy has already forced changes to marketing funnels and affiliate payouts. (infoplay.info)
Industry reaction and immediate effects
Affiliate networks and comparison sites report urgent traffic and revenue shifts. Several affiliate marketers said in interviews they are reworking landing pages to add state-by-state licensing disclosures and to remove direct links from general-ad placements that reach unlicensed jurisdictions. A compliance consultant told industry media that Google’s designation effectively requires programmatic sellers and ad platforms to perform far more granular jurisdictional checks than before – increasing technology and legal costs for smaller operators. (linkedin.com)
Wider regulatory enforcement trends are amplifying the impact. U.S. and state regulators have stepped up scrutiny of prediction markets and sweepstakes-style offerings in 2025, with cease-and-desist orders and legal challenges in several states arguing some platforms are operating outside gambling laws. Those enforcement actions mean advertisers cannot simply rely on platform distinctions; they must evaluate local legal risk as well. (ctinsider.com)
What publishers and players should watch next
Operators and tip sites face a narrow list of near-term priorities: secure Google Ads gambling certification where relevant, audit all external links and landing pages for licensing language and age-gating, and update disclosures and responsible-gambling messaging. Platforms that fail to comply risk account suspension or blocked campaigns, which several ad-tech providers now treat as “egregious” offenses. (infoplay.info)
A key hinge will be how strictly Google enforces these rules globally and how regulators interpret sweepstakes models in national law. Watch for further guidance from Google on certification processes and for state-level legal rulings that could expand or narrow enforcement. For marketers and publishers, the practical takeaway is immediate: treat sweepstakes and any token models as gambling when optimizing ad plans or publishing tips, and tighten geo-targeting and age verification mechanisms now. For Google’s policy details see the company’s Gambling and Games advertising policy. Google Gambling and Games policy. (infoplay.info)