YouTube tightens advertising for gambling advertising
YouTube has revised its advertising guidelines and is enforcing stricter rules for gambling content. From March 19, 2025, creators will no longer be allowed to link to unlicensed gambling websites in their videos or promote them in any way. The new measures aim to strengthen youth protection and ensure compliance with legal requirements. Streamers who deal with casino and sports betting content are particularly affected, as their business models could be significantly affected by these changes.
The updated guidelines go beyond simple link bans. In addition to direct references to gambling sites, verbal mentions or visual references to unauthorized providers are also prohibited. This applies, for example, to displayed logos, mentions in the comments or references to websites that appear in the video description.
According to a YouTube spokesperson, the ban will initially apply to the US, but an extension to other markets is not ruled out. The platform is thus taking a stricter line on gambling content, which has often been considered problematic in the past. There have been repeated concerns about advertising for online casinos, especially among young viewers.
While online casino providers and unlicensed betting platforms are banned from YouTube, advertisements for state-regulated sports betting are still allowed to be shown. This shows that YouTube is not taking action against gambling content in general, but is specifically targeting illegal operators.
YouTube advertising affects streamers and child protection
A key aim of the new regulations is to increase the protection of minors. YouTube is increasing the age restriction for gambling advertising and ensuring that unregistered users can no longer see such ads. This means that viewers who are not logged in are automatically excluded from gambling advertising. This is intended to prevent minors from coming into contact with Online casinos or illegal betting offers.
For streamers who regularly broadcast casino sessions live or produce gambling content, this change poses a major challenge. Many of these videos reach hundreds of thousands of views, and monetization is often done through partnerships with gambling operators. Without the ability to add links or pointers to external platforms, many content creators are likely to see a loss of revenue. Some may even be forced to fundamentally rethink their content or seek alternative platforms.
YouTube has already set rules against problematic content in the past, but the implementation has often been inconsistent. There have been repeated cases in which offensive or banned videos have remained online for a long time despite violations of the guidelines. It will now be interesting to see how strictly the platform actually enforces the new ban and whether illegal content is removed more quickly than before.
However, with the tightened rules, YouTube is sending a clear signal: unlicensed gambling advertising will be consistently banned in the future. The platform is also reacting to government regulations and possible sanctions, as regulators in various countries are setting increasingly strict requirements for online gambling. It remains to be seen whether other social media platforms will follow this example and take similar measures.
