Gambling and financial services can be advertised on Google Ads, but only with a local license and after Google’s review. Gambling needs Google certification for each country separately, ads only in approved countries, a site with responsible gambling information and no targeting of minors. Financial services need Financial Services Verification in 42 countries, including Brazil, India, Indonesia, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. An agency account doesn’t remove these requirements.
In short
Google allows ads for gambling and financial services, but with extra requirements. This isn’t a gray area: the project must have a local license, and the account must have Google certification or verification in every country where the ads run. Gads works with these niches only when there’s a license and Google certification.
Gambling
Advertisers must apply for Google certification to run ads for gambling and gambling-promoting content. The main requirements:
- Local license. You need a valid license for every region you target and proof of that license.
- Approved countries only. Ads and the site may target only countries where Google allows this type of product. If a product isn’t listed for a country, it can’t be certified or advertised there.
- The site. The site needs responsible gambling information, an age warning, addiction help resources, terms and conditions and a footer with licensee details.
- No minors. Ads and the site must never target minors.
- Country by country. A separate application is submitted for each country.
Social casino games are certified separately, and one account can’t hold both certifications. Running gambling ads without valid certification can get the account barred from running ads.
Financial services
In some countries Google requires separate verification to advertise financial services. It covers:
- the types of financial services you offer;
- the license for these services;
- the registration number;
- country-specific requirements.
Verification is done separately for each country. Google’s list currently has 42 countries:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, United Kingdom.
For each country Google lists the relevant regulators and the date the requirement took effect — check the current list before launch.
Advertiser verification
Financial services is one of the industries for which Google may ask for advertiser verification earlier. Prepare company documents in advance. Details in our article on advertiser verification.
Pre-launch checklist
- The license is valid in every country where the ads will run.
- Google gambling certification is in place for each country — or Financial Services Verification is complete.
- The site has everything the policy requires: terms, age restrictions, licensee details, responsible gambling.
- Targeting only approved countries and no minors.
- Documents for advertiser verification are ready.
Before launch you can check your site with Gads for free against Google’s data, Gads’ data and the laws of the country and niche. It isn’t a Google ruling or a guarantee, but a list of fixes before launch saves weeks. More on working with regulated niches is on the Finance and Licensed betting pages.
Sources
- Advertising Policies Help: gambling and games
- Advertising Policies Help: Financial Services Verification — regulators and dates
- Advertising Policies Help: advertiser verification