Typical restrictions for gambling advertising

While some advertisers and many web site owners allow gambling advertising, several of the biggest advertisers either don't allow or severely restrict gambling related advertising. Current restrictions on Yahoo and Google are outlined below.

Gambling advertising on Yahoo!
Yahoo! has an extensive list of categories of advertising that it does not allow. It doesn't allow ads for online gambling sites that accept wagers or require payment in exchange for the chance to win prizes. Also not allowed are sites that offer both information and links related primarily to the promotion of online gambling.

Their restrictions go beyond that. Yahoo! will terminate an ad if it finds out that a site is indirectly soliciting users to participate in online gambling, for example through email.

Gambling advertising on Google related sites
Google has a fairly complex set of guidelines for advertising that is often specific to the region where the ads will be placed. For US advertising, gambling advertising policies that are similar to those of Yahoo! For example, in the guidance it gives to advertisers who use Google's AdWords service, it actually says that it allows gambling advertising, but only for ads that target locations in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales), Italy, Austria, Belgium, Australia (limited to wagering & sports betting), and the Republic of Ireland.

Ads for online gambling will not be displayed in other countries except those for state licensed entities in Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Portugal, Spain, New Zealand, Sweden, and Israel. If you are interested, Google provides a list of specific exceptions and restrictions in the countries where the advertising is allowed.

What should you do about gambling ads?
Whether you are advertising for an online gambling site, or simply someone accepting an advertisement on your personal web site, it is up to you to find out what rules apply to you. If you place ads or accept ads that don't comply with an advertiser's or web site's policies, or that are in violation of one or more laws and regulations, you could at the very least get your ad canceled, and perhaps have some legal trouble.