Google Resets Gambling Ad Certification With New Forms and Site Checks
Advertisers can now apply only through Google’s new certification forms. The change covers online gambling, gambling-related promotional content, social casino products, and other certified gaming categories.
Google is putting greater emphasis on whether the information in an application matches the business behind the advertised domain. Licenses and company details must be current. Where the advertiser and gambling license holder are different entities, Google may ask for documents showing how the companies and domain are connected.
Websites Need Clear Licensing Information
The advertised site is part of the certification check. For operators, Google expects the registered company name and license number to be visible. An age warning, responsible gambling information, terms of use, and a privacy policy identifying the data controller are also required.
Some of that information must appear in the site’s footer. The licensee name and license number are among the details Google lists for licensed gambling businesses.
Affiliates have a separate requirement. An affiliate or aggregator that does not need its own gambling license may promote only operators authorized for the country being targeted. Its footer must state that gambling links on the site lead to businesses licensed and permitted to operate in that location.
One Country Means One Certification Application
The new process does not allow advertisers to bundle several markets into one request. A company running Google Ads in Germany, Sweden, and another approved jurisdiction, for example, has to submit an application for each country.
Google is drawing another line between real-money gambling and simulated gambling. The two cannot be certified under the same Google Ads account. A business advertising both will need separate accounts.
The rules are tighter for simulated gambling campaigns. Separate accounts may also be required when campaigns target groups covered by different certification conditions.
Mobile Apps Must Connect Back to the Licensed Domain
Gambling operators advertising an app need a visible connection between the app and the website used for certification. The licensed domain must link to the app’s official page in Google Play or Apple’s App Store. The store listing, in turn, must contain a direct link back to that registered domain.
This gives Google two matching reference points when checking who operates the product being advertised.
Business Changes Can Trigger a New Review
Certification may have to be repeated after approval. Google says advertisers must apply again if information supplied in the original application changes materially. Leaving outdated details in place can put the Google Ads account at risk of suspension.
For gambling companies, the main change is therefore wider than a new application form. Google is checking whether the license, domain, footer, app listing, and advertising account all describe the same business setup. Affiliates face a similar practical check on the operators they send traffic to. A site can comply with local gambling law and still fail Google’s process if those details do not line up.