Google update allows DFS and lottery courier ads across majority of US states
The policy change, coming into effect from July 15, will provide a marketing boost for operators and lottery couriers across the market
Google has made sweeping changes to its Google Ads gambling and games policy for both daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators and lottery couriers across the US.
Effective from July 15, the search engine giant will allow begin to accept and run apps for both verticals across a host of states.
DFS operators in states which don’t allow online sports betting such as California, Georgia and Utah will be allowed to run ads via Google.
Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota and Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have also all be given the greenlight to launch DFS ads.
Additionally, lottery couriers in 33 states, plus Washington DC, will now be able to run ads through Google.
Among the states not permitted to show lottery courier ads through Google are Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, and Florida.
The likes of Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire and Utah will also be give the opportunity to do so.
The lottery courier update will also come into effect on July 15, in line with the changes for DFS marketing.
The update states that any advertisers that are targeting ads in a state that doesn’t require a license will have to be licensed in at least one other state where a license is required.
This caveat applies to both lottery couriers and DFS operators.
Google last updated its advertising policy for lottery couriers in December 2023, which allowed state-licensed operators in Arkansas, Montana, New Jersey, and New York to run ads.
In August 2023, US operators that are licensed in at least 5 states were made eligible to apply to run national ads for sports betting across YouTube.
Those ads must not target users under the age of 21, and should include a warning against the “ dangers of addictive and compulsive gambling and related assistance information on the landing page or in the creative”.