Google Expands Programmatic Gambling Ads to 37 New Markets

Google has announced significant changes to its Authorized Buyers program, set to take effect on August 10, 2026. Under the new policy, gambling advertisements will be permitted in 37 additional markets, with many of these markets not requiring advertiser certification.
This modification targets Google’s advertising platforms, such as AdSense, Google Ad Manager, and AdMob, while the gambling policies on Google Ads will remain unchanged.
Gambling-related ads will now be allowed in the newly included markets, which feature prominent countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.
Furthermore, the categories of gambling that advertisers can promote have expanded to encompass online casinos, sports betting, bingo, and various online gambling forms, including online lotteries, scratch cards, and cryptocurrency gaming.
In these new regions, advertisers who adhere to local laws will not need to secure Google’s gambling certification. However, Google has cautioned publishers that the policy shift might increase the volume of gambling advertisements appearing on their sites. Those using AdSense will have the option to restrict or block gambling ads through their existing content controls.
This policy shift comes amidst Google’s varied strategy across its advertising platforms. While it is relaxing certification processes for programmatic advertising, it is simultaneously strengthening its gambling policies on Google Ads. Stricter certification requirements for all Gambling and Games advertisers will be implemented starting September 14, 2026, along with enhanced scrutiny of advertiser accounts and manager accounts (MCC).