Google implemented new restrictions on US gambling policy affecting horse racing affiliates and comparison sites. The Google Ads Gambling and Games policy changed on December 1. Aggregators, tipster platforms, and third-party promoters cannot promote online horse race betting anymore. Google published this update in its policy changelog directly. The company started enforcement immediately after publication. The revised rules block advertisements directing users to US-facing comparison sites. Affiliate-style pages promoting online racebooks face the same restrictions now.

Google cancelled all existing certifications for horse racing aggregators simultaneously. New applicants cannot obtain these certifications through any pathway currently. Affiliates who depended on paid traffic must find new acquisition strategies. Search, display, and video inventory excludes them completely now. The policy intentionally creates a clear separation between affiliates and licensed operators. Comparison-style promotion ended, but Google allows licensed US operators to advertise. These operators can still promote their own horse racing products.

Operators need gambling certification and must follow age restrictions properly. Responsible gambling requirements remain mandatory for all licensed advertisers. This rule keeps established racebooks and major sportsbook operators visible. Many operators lose a marketing layer they used for customer reach expansion.

Google Maintains Continuous Ad Policy Changes

Google provided no detailed public explanation for this change. The move shows Google wants to avoid referral-driven advertising models. Marketing accountability increases when licensed operators control advertising directly. The policy notice contained no commentary about reasoning or goals. This update follows Google’s pattern of tightening gambling rules throughout 2024 and 2025. Google refined definitions and increased documentation standards during this period. Country-specific limitations expanded while certification thresholds rose for all advertisers. October brought the reclassification of sweepstakes casinos from social gaming to gambling categories.

All Google Ads campaigns targeting US users face these updated restrictions. Search results, display placements, and video content must follow new rules. Gmail and Shopping ads already restricted gambling-related promotion before this update. These formats remain unavailable for horse racing advertising currently. Only the US market faces these changes at present. Google structures its gambling policy around country-level criteria with frequent revisions. March saw Google expand online horse racing ads in six states. Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington allow state-authorised entity advertising. Advertisers need certification to operate in those specific states. Applications opened when the policy update became effective there.