Google’s introduction of personalised gambling ads on YouTube in the UK, US, and Canada comes amid a string of updates to its policy around gambling advertising.
Google has started to allow personalised gambling ads on YouTube in the US, UK, and Canada.
This comes is part of a policy update, which took effect on October 30 and includes prediction markets.
The Google Ads policy page stated: “Starting October 30, 2026, Google is updating ads personalisation policy for YouTube inventory. It’ll allow certain gambling ads in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.”
Gambling is categorised by Google as a sensitive interest and covers: both online and offline gambling, including prediction markets; online casino-based games whether money is exchanged or not; online gambling-related information; and online non-casino games played for money or prizes.
Under the updated targeting guidelines, advertisers can use predefined Google audiences, but not advertiser-curated audiences. This is because advertiser-curated audiences might use sensitive user signals, which are automatically excluded in predefined audiences.
Campaigns targeting health information related to gambling or users under 18 is prohibited. In addition, the tech giant said: “Google App campaigns promoting social casino gaming apps to app users are excluded and the sensitive interest category restrictions do not apply to those campaigns.”
Advertisers who are flagged for not abiding by the new rules can either appeal the decision or edit their targeting and content to bring their ads in line with the policy.
Google also stressed advertisers will still need certification from the company to run certain types of gambling ads, while campaigns for offline gambling with personalisation must be on an opt-in basis.
This update follows other changes Google has made to its policy regarding gambling ads and prediction markets so far this year.
In January, the tech giant “reclassifed” the prediction market as a financial product rather than gambling and opened up advertising in the US. Advertisers had to obtain a Google certification to participate under prediction markets own policy, which also their banned ads in five states.
In September, the Alphabet-owned company enhanced gambling and games policy across all markets with operators requiring to demonstrate compliance to obtain a certificate.
And last month (October) Google made the decision to allow gambling ads to run YouTube Masthead campaigns. The masthead is a digital billboard appearing at the top of the YouTube homepage.
Online advertisers who come within the strict gambling ad requirements will be eligible to move forward with ads.
