Direct Answer Block: Google is tightening its rules again. This time, the Gambling and Games Policy requires gambling advertisers to be certified (or re-certified) for Google Ads using new application forms. The policy update spans gambling and casino-related ads, presenting another hurdle for iGaming operators, affiliates and review sites, at a time when AI search engines are eating your traffic. WritingKosmos explains what this means in plain, simple English for you.
Following on from May’s Google Core Updates, I’ve taken a long, hard look at the policy update, and several things come to light.
- If you’re a gambling operator, you must hold a valid license for every single country or region you’re targeting.
- If you are an affiliate or run a review site, you must link to fully licensed gambling operators in the regions you’re trying to promote gambling sites to, and this must be backed up in your site’s footer.
Regardless of the site you run, you should display age restrictions warnings, resources for gambling addiction, and, naturally, T&Cs, and official license numbers and company names.
Re-certification and Google Ads Accounts
Website operators on top of their game will likely already have the above covered, so the Gambling and Games Policy may not affect them much. What changes for them is the introduction of re-certification procedures and new Google Ads rules.
Google Ads Changes
Google now prevents you from mixing different types of gambling certifications inside a single Google Ads account. You won’t be able to use the same account to run, for instance, real money casino ads and free-to-play social casino ads. You must have distinct, separate Google Ads accounts for each gambling category you want to cover.
Re-certification
Google must now be notified if your operation changes scope; for instance, if there is a change in ownership, you update your domain, or, if you’re an operator, you acquire a new license. If you intend to target a number of regions with your content, you’ll need to fill out several re-certification forms.
How Does This Impact Your Business in Terms of Content?
Aside from the Gambling and Games Policy being a bit of a headache for webmasters, the new rules also impact your written content. According to the new rules, any promotional content (such as reviews) relating to nationally licensed casinos must not include:
- Links to unregulated, offshore or unlicensed operators and sites, not even, say, in comparison. Any links to such sites will break these new Google rules.
- Mixed content covering both social casinos and real money gambling sites.
Moreover, content must now include statements that recommended sites are locally licensed (not offshore), and provide age warnings and links to responsible gambling programs.
The Impact of Generative AI Search Engines
Of course, the changes to the Gambling and Games Policy and Google Ads come at a bad time, when site owners are already suffering. Generative AI search engines are making life hard for traditional gambling affiliate businesses. In short, I’ve identified three things to consider:
- When users ask AI tools for the best casinos, AI immediately gives them the answer and a recommendation, bypassing your links and review site, costing you a commission. When played out across the entire industry, this market is fading fast.
- The double whammy on traffic is currently making it harder to generate revenue through ads, while AI search engines are stealing your traffic.
- With that in mind, it’s also imperative that brands shift to developing authority content. Deep, expert-level content that is regulatory compliant is more important than ever before.
To survive, affiliates must stop relying on review lists and paid ads, and instead build brand trust, working with GEO content to appear as trusted, citable sources within AI searches.
The Next Step for Your Brand
Following the Gambling and Games Policy changes, operators, affiliates, and review sites need to think carefully about who they hire to produce content. Writers must be prepared to do the legwork and deep-dive when researching sites. They should have a thorough knowledge of regulatory compliance and local advertising laws in relation to gambling.
Simply dropping affiliate links or providing generic, skin-deep content won’t cut it, and might even lead to your Google Ads account being suspended. Buying cheap content and budget articles won’t work. To get by, you need a team that knows the ins and outs of each major regulatory region, national gambling and advertising laws, and knows how to implement that knowledge into copy. That’s where WritingKosmos comes in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can brands link to in the future?
Under the new rules, all outbound links should head directly to fully licensed casinos, but only those in the countries you are targeting.
What needs to be included in footers?
License numbers, data privacy information, age and responsible gambling disclaimers, and links to problem gambling resources.
Do I really need multiple Google Ads accounts?
Yes. You should split your campaigns into several accounts, one for each country you are targeting with your casino content.
Does this really apply to iGaming affiliates and review sites?
Yes, almost all of it does. While all the above applies, the key things for now are ensuring that your Google Ads account is certified and approved, and remember, you cannot link to unlicensed, offshore or unregulated operators in your target country.
What doesn’t apply to affiliates and review sites?
Affiliates and review sites don’t need to apply for local gambling licenses. They are offering gambling promotion content and aren’t gambling operators. You will, however, need to prove that you only route traffic to operators that are locally licensed.