Google has widened the reach of personalized gambling advertisements on YouTube across the US, UK, and Canada, while bringing prediction markets under its sensitive-category targeting rules.
The policy change took effect on October 30, although prediction market operators face separate restrictions on where they can advertise. Google’s prediction market advertising policy currently allows eligible campaigns only in specified US locations, excluding Britain and Canada.
Personalized advertising allows businesses to direct campaigns towards audience groups based on characteristics or interests.
Under Google’s updated rules, advertisers promoting sensitive categories such as gambling can use predefined Google audiences. These audiences are configured to exclude sensitive user signals.
Available targeting categories include interests, demographics, and location. However, Google’s notice does not specify which targeting features were changed by the update.
Google’s gambling advertising policy states that advertisers cannot use “advertiser-curated audiences.” It also prohibits targeting based on health information related to gambling.
Google classifies prediction markets under its gambling-sensitive advertising category, bringing their campaigns within the updated targeting rules. However, permission to use personalized advertising does not automatically qualify an operator to advertise on YouTube.
Under its separate prediction market policy, Google requires advertisers to hold “all applicable local financial, commodity, and/or gaming licenses.” Approved locations currently cover the US, excluding Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York, and Ohio. The UK and Canada are not included.
US eligibility requirements identify qualifying exchanges authorised by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and brokerages authorised by the National Futures Association (NFA) that offer access to specified exchange-listed products.
Google also prohibits advertisements for binary options that pay a fixed amount or nothing depending on the movement of a financial asset’s price.
The restrictions come as prediction markets face competing interpretations of their legal status. Federal regulators are currently contesting Utah’s attempt to regulate event contracts under its gambling laws.
Google’s broader gambling advertising policy requires advertisers to meet certification requirements, operate in approved locations, and comply with applicable licensing rules. It also states that gambling advertisements must never target minors. Users under 18 are ineligible for personalized advertising under Google’s targeting policy.
The change follows another adjustment to Google’s gambling advertising policy announced in October.
In an October 7 notice, the company announced that certified online-gambling advertisers would be allowed to run advertisements on YouTube Masthead placements starting October 21.