Google Ads Gambling Certification in 2026: Requirements, How to Apply and Why Applications Get Rejected

Google Ads gambling certification is the approval you need before you can run casino, sports betting or lottery ads in a given country. The policy changed several times in 2026, and one point trips operators more than any other: certification follows your licence, not your agency. This guide explains what certification is, what Google checks, how to apply after this year's updates and why licensed operators still get rejected.

What Google Ads gambling certification is

Google Ads gambling certification is Google's approval to run gambling ads in a specific country, granted on top of your local licence. It is not a global permit: you are approved country by country, and the approval is tied to the account that applied for it.

Google splits gambling and games into five advertising categories: online gambling, online gambling-promoting content, offline gambling, online non-casino games and social casino games. For casino, betting and lottery operators the relevant distinction is the first and the last. A single Google Ads account can be certified for either online gambling or social casino games — not both — so an operator that wants to advertise casino and social casino products needs two separate accounts.

Certification does not make gambling legal in a market, and 18+ or 21+ age rules still apply. Google's approval only means your ads meet its advertising policy; it does not replace the licence that local law requires.

Who can apply: the licence decides

The licence holder is the anchor of any application. Google requires a valid local licence for every region you target, and you submit a separate certification application for each country. A licence from one market does not open another, so a Malta licence alone will not get you certified for Germany.

How the applicant and the licence holder relate depends on the country. In Germany, a non-operator must provide a letter signed by the licence holder. In Greece and Ukraine, advertising agencies must be authorised by the national authorities before they can apply on a client's behalf. Where no such requirement exists, the application still rests on the licence holder's local licence rather than on the agency that fills in the form.

Affiliates sit in a separate category, online gambling-promoting content. They can apply only in countries whose entry in Google's policy allows that category, and their sites must link only to licensed operators. This category narrowed on 7 October 2026, when Google Ads stopped allowing online gambling-promoting content targeting Croatia.

Requirements checklist

These are the checks Google runs when it reviews an application. Each one comes from Google's published policy, not from experience with individual reviews.

The licence and the paperwork

The landing page

The account

How to apply, step by step

The application is a sequence of checks before you submit, then one submission per country. Google does not publish a fixed review time, so build the timeline around your own preparation, not a promised turnaround.

1. Check your country's entry. Open Google's Gambling and games policy and read the entry for the country you want to target. It lists the permitted categories and any local conditions, such as a letter from the licence holder.
2. Collect the documents. Gather the licence, the proof that ties the advertiser, the licensee and the domain together, and any country-specific paperwork the entry names.
3. Bring the site in line. Add licence details, an age warning, addiction resources and terms and conditions. Make sure the domain is one you own and operate, not a free host or a third-party subdomain.
4. Submit the application. Use the certification form in the Help Center. Since 15 October 2026 Google has been gradually adding the application to Google Ads accounts, where it appears under Admin > Policy > Account, so some advertisers now apply there while the Help Center form stays available.
5. Repeat for each country. One application covers one country. A second country is a second application with its own licence evidence.
6. Target only certified countries. After approval, restrict your campaigns to the countries named in the certification.
7. Recertify after changes. Reapply immediately after any material change to your application. Google states that failing to recertify could result in account suspension.

Country examples: United States, Germany, Brazil

Three markets show how differently the same policy applies.

United States. Ads must not target users under 21, and you may target only the states in which you hold a licence. Affiliates are limited to the states listed in the application form. One point is often misread as a restriction: Google allows national targeting for sports betting ads on YouTube. That is a permission, not a penalty — it lets a licensed sportsbook reach the whole country on YouTube rather than only its licensed states.

Germany. The application requires a letter signed by the licence holder, so a non-operator advertiser cannot file without the licensee's signature. Agencies and media buyers should secure that letter before doing anything else.

Brazil. Google disallowed fixed-odds betting ads on 30 September 2026 and revoked existing Brazilian lottery and horse-racing certificates, so advertisers affected have to apply again under the new rules. Ireland follows the same re-application pattern: operators targeting Ireland must hold a GRAI licence and had until 1 September 2026 to re-apply for certification with it.

What changed in 2026

The policy moved more than once this year. Newest first:

Why licensed operators still get rejected

Having a licence does not guarantee approval, because Google also reviews the site and the account. The table below maps the symptoms to the rule behind them.

After approval: iGaming PPC in certified countries only

Approval opens Google Ads for the certified countries — and only those. A new country means a new application, not a tweak to an existing one. If iGaming PPC is the goal, treat certification as the first step and the certified country list as the campaign boundary. See how iGaming performance marketing is set up once that boundary is clear, and compare cost-per-FTD benchmarks for what acquisition costs look like in practice.

What to run while the application is pending

While you wait, channels that do not depend on Google's certification keep the funnel moving.

• SEO. Owned search visibility builds without a policy review and compounds after launch. An iGaming SEO audit finds the gaps before you scale.
• Streamers and creators. iGaming influencer marketing reaches audiences through people, not ad placements.
• Affiliates. Affiliate traffic keeps flowing in countries that allow online gambling-promoting content, independently of your own certification.
• Meta. Meta runs under its own authorization, applied for in the Authorizations and Verifications tab of Meta Business Suite, and does not allow targeting people under 18.

FAQ

Do I need Google Ads gambling certification to run casino or betting ads?

Yes. Google requires certification to run ads for online gambling and online gambling-promoting content, and social casino games need a certification of their own. Gambling certification is granted country by country: you need a valid local licence and a separate application for every country you target.

Can an agency apply for Google Ads gambling certification on a client's behalf?

The application rests on the licence holder's local licence. In Germany a non-operator must provide a letter signed by the licence holder, and in Greece and Ukraine advertising agencies must be authorised by the national authorities.

Is one gambling licence enough to advertise in several countries?

No. Google requires a valid local licence for every region you target and a separate certification application for each country, so a licence from one market does not open another.

Can affiliates get Google Ads gambling certification?

Yes, as online gambling-promoting content, but only in countries whose entry allows it. Affiliate sites must link only to licensed operators and say so in the footer. Croatia closed this category on 7 October 2026.

Can one Google Ads account run online gambling and social casino ads?

No. A single Google Ads account can be certified for either online gambling or social casino games, so an advertiser that wants both needs two separate accounts.

When do I need to recertify for gambling ads?

Immediately after any material change to the information in your application. Google says failure to recertify could result in account suspension.

Sources

1. Gambling and games, Google Advertising Policies Help, accessed October 28, 2026
2. Gambling and Games Certification Eligibility Update (March 2026), accessed October 28, 2026
3. Update to Gambling and Games Policy: Global (August 2026), accessed October 28, 2026
4. Update to the Google Ads certification process (October 2026), accessed October 26, 2026
5. Updates to YouTube Masthead Ad Requirements (October 2026), accessed October 26, 2026
6. Update to Gambling and Games Policy: Brazil (September 2026), accessed October 26, 2026
7. Update to Gambling and Games Policy: Croatia (September 2026), accessed October 26, 2026
8. Update to Gambling and Games Policy: Ireland (May 2026), accessed October 28, 2026
9. About Meta's Online Gambling and Games advertising policy, accessed October 28, 2026