New Google gambling policies may force changes for sweepstakes casinos

[The Buzz]

Major changes are coming to Google Ads that will significantly alter how sweepstakes casinos advertise.

With policy updates taking effect 14 April, operators face new requirements to comply with both national and state-level gambling regulations. This includes mandatory certification for running Google Ads and could explain recent strategic shifts observed from leading sweepstakes platforms.

From Google's update ad policy:

The Updated Google Ads policy defines gambling as follows:

• “As defined by law under the regulatory framework in the country you are targeting with ads”
• “Anything that functions by staking something of value on the outcome of events or processes determined by an element of chance with the opportunity to win something of value”

While some could and will argue that sweepstakes casino sites don’t explicitly fall in either of these categories, Google clears up where it stands on that question in its list of examples of what is considered online gambling (emphasis added):

• Online casinos or bookmakers
• Online bingo or slots sites or apps
• Online lottery ticket or online scratch card purchase
• Online sports betting
• Online gambling games played with virtual currencies or items that have real-world value

From Sweepsy.com

One thing to note: On the actual certification application for gambling ads in the U.S., there is no option to select sweepstakes casinos, only online casinos. So presumably, sweeps operators would need to select “online casinos” as the product they are requesting to advertise.

According to Google’s U.S.-specific ad stipulations for online casinos:

“Advertisers of horse racing, sports betting and online casinos must be licensed by the state entity in certain states where legal.”
Google support didn’t respond directly to Sweepsy‘s request for clarification on the “certain states where legal” specification, but Google did provide us with the following explanation regarding the updated policy:

“Gambling ads must target approved countries, have a landing page that displays information about responsible gambling and never target minors. Check local regulations for the areas that you want to target.”

This appears to confirm that Google will defer to local gambling regulations in its decisions whether to approve Google Ads certification for online casinos, including sweepstakes casinos (by Google’s categorization).

Read more here: https://www.sweepsy.com/news/google-...o-advertising/