Google has expanded audience-targeting permissions for gambling advertisements on YouTube in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Effective October 30, the change allows eligible advertisers to use Google’s predefined audience categories when promoting gambling products.
The update follows another advertising adjustment earlier in October that expanded access to YouTube Masthead placements for certified gambling operators. Licensing and certification requirements remain in force, alongside restrictions on sensitive personal information and younger audiences.
Prediction-market companies also face additional conditions under Google’s separate advertising policy.
Google’s New Rules for Audience Selection
The updated policy distinguishes between audiences created by Google and those assembled by advertisers. Gambling businesses can use supported categories such as Affinity and in-market audiences, alongside location targeting and certain demographic options.
However, operators cannot upload customer databases or use their own player information for personalized remarketing. Google excludes Customer Match, Your data segments, Audience expansion and Lookalike segments from permitted targeting methods for sensitive advertising categories.
Custom segments also carry additional conditions. Although Google lists them as available, sensitive advertisements and landing pages cannot use these segments across most campaign types. Display campaigns remain an exception, subject to restrictions limiting delivery to non-sensitive audiences or contextual targeting.
Google also prohibits targeting based on health information associated with gambling-related harm.
Prediction Markets Face Additional Requirements
Google classifies prediction markets within its sensitive gambling advertising category. Advertisers in this sector must satisfy separate eligibility conditions before promoting their products.
The company requires them to hold all applicable local financial, commodity or gaming licences. Its current approval framework covers qualifying US operators, including CFTC-authorised exchanges and NFA-authorised brokerages offering access to specified exchange-listed products.
The permitted US locations exclude Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Ohio. Britain and Canada also fall outside the currently approved prediction-market advertising territories.
Google separately prohibits advertisements for binary options that offer a fixed payment or nothing depending on movements in a financial asset’s price.
These requirements come as prediction markets face disagreements over whether event contracts fall under financial-market or gambling legislation. Federal regulators have challenged Utah’s attempts to apply state gambling laws to these products.
Two Advertising Adjustments in October
The October 30 personalization update followed another change that took effect on October 21. That adjustment made YouTube Masthead placements available to additional certified online-gambling advertisers.
A review published before the change highlighted restrictions affecting gambling-promoting advertisers that do not face mandatory state or national registration requirements.
The two adjustments address different parts of Google’s advertising framework. The October 21 change concerns access to Masthead placements, while the later update expands audience-targeting options.
Google continues to prohibit gambling advertisements from targeting minors. Its personalized advertising policy also excludes users under 18 from personalized advertisements of any category. Advertising for land-based gambling requires a separate opt-in.
The company has not published a complete list of gambling products covered by the new YouTube personalization permission. Advertisers must therefore continue checking the individual eligibilityrequirements for their campaigns.