Google updates state-specific ad policies for gambling
Eligible advertisers in newly approved jurisdictions require certification before activating campaigns
Google has formally updated its advertising policy to allow certified entities in a handful of US states to begin running gambling-specific ads.
The latest policy measure applies to Vermont for sports betting, as well as Arkansas, Montana, New Jersey, and New York for lottery couriers.
In each instance, state-approved or licensed entities will need to apply for certification, which, upon acceptance, will greenlight them to begin running gambling ad campaigns. There are separate certification forms and processes for privately licensed operators, state-run entities and social-casino game operators.
The policy shift is part of a larger effort on the part of Google to at once align with states that feature regulated gaming while ensuring no bad actors are able to play the system.
Google has faced scrutiny from stakeholders on all sides of the gaming industry over the past few years, at one time banning all gambling-focused advertisements in the US before beginning to shift its policies as regulation began to take form across many states.
The search engine behemoth has also received pushback from responsible gambling (RG) services, some of which have contended their ads promoting problem-gambling resources and helplines have been either overshadowed by more prominently placed pro-gambling ads or blocked altogether as a result of an algorithmic error.
One noteable case in Australia surfaced earlier this year, when the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation claimed its RG-focused ads were automatically blocked by Google.
Google confirmed the mishap, attributing it to an instance where their ad-blocking system “erred strongly on the side of caution and inadvertently blocked some ads from this advertiser,” adding that the issue was quickly resolved, according to a Google spokesperson.
The policy shift in the US represents the latest in Google’s ongoing efforts to deal with the continued moving target that is the combination of regulated gambling and advertising in the US.