Google changes advertising guidelines for gambling
On April 14, 2025, a significant update to Google's advertising guidelines for gambling and gaming content will come into effect. The planned changes include country-specific regulations, stricter certification requirements and a clearer categorization of gambling content. The update will have far-reaching consequences, especially for operators and affiliates in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
With the revision of the guidelines, Google is tightening the rules for advertising gambling offers. A key innovation is the explicit classification of websites that redirect users to online casinos or gambling services as "gambling advertising". This particularly affects partner and aggregator websites, which now either need special certification or have to make their content exclusively informative.
For the German market, this means a significant restriction for affiliates who have so far circumvented the strict advertising guidelines through clever wording. Operators must ensure that their licenses are up to date and reported to Google in order to continue to be allowed to advertise. Violations of these regulations can lead to the advertising account being blocked.
Country-specific restrictions in D-A-CH
Google is adjusting its Directives increasingly align with national regulations which we reported on some time ago. In Germany, very restrictive regulations for online gambling already apply, particularly through the State Treaty on Gambling. Advertising for online casinos is only permitted for operators with a German license. The new Google guidelines could mean that advertisements for providers with licenses from Malta or Curacao are no longer displayed in Germany.
Online casinos are also regulated in Austria and Switzerland, albeit under different legal frameworks. While some internationally licensed providers are still allowed to operate in Austria, only licensed providers are permitted in Switzerland. Google's new guidelines could lead to advertising for unlicensed providers being further restricted in these countries.
Distinction between social casino games and real money gambling
Another important change concerns the distinction between social casino games and real money gambling. In future, providers of social casino games that simulate playful gambling experiences without real money stakes will have to apply for separate certifications. This could particularly affect developers who offer such games for the German-speaking market.
Since social casino games are often used as an advertising platform for real money casinos, it is becoming more difficult for providers to promote their products in direct connection with online casinos. This separation is likely to be particularly important for operators of hybrid models with real money and free-to-play versions.
Impact on Advertisers and Affiliates
The new Google advertising guidelines for gambling mean significant changes for advertisers and affiliates in the German-speaking gambling sector. It will be particularly difficult for affiliates who rely on international offers to gain visibility via Google Ads. Operators with EU or offshore licenses must adapt their advertising strategies, as it is not clear to what extent Google will continue to allow the advertising of such providers.
Advertisers are encouraged to review their campaigns in a timely manner and ensure that they comply with the new guidelines. Google is already offering a preview of the changes so that companies can prepare for the new requirements early on.
With the update of the advertising guidelines in April 2025, Google is significantly tightening the requirements for gambling advertising. This could have significant consequences, especially for German-speaking countries, as Google is now orienting itself even more closely to national laws. Affiliates and operators must adapt to the new certification and advertising rules early on in order to continue to use Google Ads. Advertisers who do not prepare for the transition in good time risk severe restrictions or even having their advertising accounts blocked.
Google has changed so much in recent years that searching often brings more frustration than benefit. Instead of relevant results, there are paid ads on every corner - if you don't pay, you disappear into nowhere. While Bing and DuckDuckGo have long offered better alternatives, Google continues to hold onto its monopoly. The question is: how long will users put up with this?
