Google UK Bans Gambling Ads

Google UK has extended its ban on adverts from gambling sites to include non-cash games and gambling tutorials.

Casinos were always banned from bidding for AdWords but this policy now applies to fun sites which offer gambling type games for no money and those offering other gambling-related content.

The search behemoth sent us the following statement:

Google has always prohibited the advertising of things like bingo, poker and online casinos. However having looked at this issue very carefully and considered the views of our users, we have decided to extend our policy.

We will no longer take ads for sites that promote gambling related content or gambling tutorials or whose primary purpose is `playing for fun', gambling or casino games of skill. While we respect people's differing views on gambling - and support freedom of expression - we believe that this new policy is simpler for everyone to understand and more in tune with users' wishes.

Google in the UK has extended its ban on ads for real money online poker and gambling sites to now include free play (play-for-free) sites, such as sites with gambling tutorials or that offer 'play for fun', as well as sites that promote gambling related content. The ban is immediate.


Both Google and Yahoo! had recently banned advertisements for pay-to-play online gambling sites in the UK, but Google is the first major search engine to ban all forms of online gambling advertising from their service.


Gambling websites had used the free areas of their sites, or separate '.net' free play versions of their sites to promote their brand and especially to generate traffic which they later enticed to play at their real money sites.

Now, free play poker and gambling sites will no longer be visible.