Google Ads Tightens Gambling Advertising Rules

On 22 January, Google’s help centre released a notice tightening Google Ads rules for gambling advertising access. The update requires accounts to prove trustworthiness for ad placements, and Manager Accounts MCCs now carry breach responsibility. These changes activate on 23 March 2026, while advertisers review updates and adjust compliance steps.

Account “Trustworthiness”

Google states that all gambling advertisers must show good policy health through a clear compliance track record. This requirement means Google bases certification decisions on documentation, jurisdiction proof, compliance discipline, and violation history. Google also reviews campaign management practices, while repeated violations raise rejection risk or certificate withdrawal chances. This action is not new, as Google banned US aggregators and affiliates from horse-racing betting adverts in December 2025. That banned limited advertising access to licensed operators, aligning with Google’s policy on iGaming advertising oversight.

New Conditions for Manager Accounts (MCCs)

The update places a higher certification risk on Manager Accounts, also known as Client Centre accounts. Since MCCs scale buying across multiple domains, violations in one managed account can remove certification for the entire group. A Manager Account can also lose eligibility to apply for approval of a new certificate. Google applied a similar measure in Europe during November 2024 by restricting unlicensed gambling advertising in Germany. This restriction turned Google Ads access into a compliance control, removing illegal operator adverts from search results.

Updated Domain Requirements

Google highlights stricter domain rules, and certification becomes unavailable if a site fails to set conditions.

• Google blocks certification when a gambling site operates on a free hosting platform.
• Certification also fails when a subdomain connects to a root domain owned by a third-party hosting provider.
• Sites without a gambling industry association lose eligibility under the update.
• Google also denies certification if advertisers do not own or operate the second-level domain.

These requirements make domain ownership and infrastructure control mandatory for advertising access.

How the Update Aligns with Google Ads’ Baseline Policy?

Google’s gambling advertising rules connect ad delivery directly to certification and country-specific requirements. Advertisers must meet category rules and jurisdiction conditions, or Google limits or blocks ad delivery. The 22 January 2026 update adds further control layers to strengthen gambling advertising enforcement.