Starting from December 1, 2025, all horse racing gambling-promoting content has been banned, as Google continues to update its Gambling and Games advertising policy in the...
Google faces possible adtech breakup
A U.S. judge is weighing whether Google should be forced to break up its multitrillion-dollar advertising technology business, pressing the Justice Department on how quickly such a remedy could take effect.
During closing arguments on Friday, November 21, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said “time is of the essence” and raised concerns that Google’s expected appeal could delay any court-ordered sale for years.
Back in April 2025, Brinkema ruled that Google illegally held monopolies in two ad-tech markets and tied key products together. Now she must decide what actions are needed to restore competition. Brinkema also noted that publishers and ad-tech companies are already preparing damage claims based on her ruling.
Moreover, the Justice Department wants Google to sell its ad exchange, AdX, where publishers typically pay about 20% in fees for real-time ad auctions. DOJ attorney Matthew Huppert argued that only a full divestiture can dismantle Google’s dominance “root and branch” and create a more competitive market for the open web.
Google, however, says a breakup would be extreme, technically risky, and harmful to customers. Company lawyer Karen Dunn pointed to a Supreme Court precedent, noting that monopoly power gained legally is not by itself unlawful. She added that separating the business would be a long, complicated process.
The hearing ends the evidence phase in the years-long case, with Brinkema’s final decision expected next year. The broader U.S. antitrust push continues, with active cases still underway against Amazon and Apple. Meanwhile, Meta recently won its own battle after a judge declined to force the company to sell Instagram or WhatsApp.
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...
