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Google Ads removes sweepstake casinos from social casinos
Google has updated its Ads policy for Gambling and Games, clarifying that sweepstake casinos are no longer considered social casino games.
Under the new rules, only social casino games, simulated gambling-style games with no real prizes, can be advertised in approved countries. Sweepstake casinos are now excluded from this category.
Advertisers who want to get or keep Google Ads certification for social casino games must include a disclaimer saying the games are for users above the legal gambling age and not aimed at minors. They also need a valid local license to distribute their games in the country where they are targeting, if required, also making it clear that the games do not involve real money gambling and do not offer prizes with real-world value. Any in-app purchases must be disclosed on the landing page or within the ad. Using logos, names, or trademarks linked to real-money gambling brands is not allowed.
Advertising online gambling, or promoting anything other than aggregator or affiliate sites that provide information or comparisons of gambling services, is prohibited.
Social casino games can only be advertised in certain countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, India, Germany, Japan, and others listed in Google’s policy. Google says breaking these rules is serious and can lead to immediate suspension of Google Ads accounts without warning.
Advertisers need to get separate certifications for Social Casino Games and Online Gambling and must use different accounts if they run ads for both. Applications go through the Google Ads Help Center, and they must re-certify whenever their account information changes.
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