Google Ads Expands Policy Rules for Alcohol, Gambling and Games

Google has updated its advertising policies to expand restrictions and certification requirements across three significant categories — alcohol, gambling, and games. The changes, which roll out across multiple markets with specific implementation dates, place new obligations on advertisers in these sectors, create new category distinctions within existing policy frameworks, and, in some cases, introduce mandatory pre-approval requirements where previously none existed. For businesses advertising in or adjacent to these categories in Australia and globally, understanding what has changed and what it means for campaign management is now urgent.

This post covers what Google has announced, which advertisers are affected, what compliance looks like in practice, and what the broader trend in Google’s advertising policy direction means for businesses running paid campaigns.

What Has Changed: The Three Policy Areas

Alcohol Advertising

Effective July 28, 2026, Google is expanding its alcohol policy to significantly expand the geographic locations where alcohol advertising is permitted. The update focuses on two distinct advertising approaches: promoting the sale of alcoholic beverages and informational promotion of alcoholic beverages.

Google’s expanded alcohol policy adds 28 new countries to the approved geographic allowances, including Botswana, Burundi, Brazil, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Croatia, DR Congo, Ecuador (limited to under 5% ABV), Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gabon, Iceland (limited to under 2.25% ABV), Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Korea, Tanzania, Vietnam (limited to under 5.5% ABV), Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The core requirement that alcohol advertising must not target minors has not changed, but the expansion clarifies which regions now fall within Google’s approved list and establishes that advertisers promoting alcoholic beverages must demonstrate compliance with local laws regarding alcohol advertising in each market where their ads appear — a requirement that was previously implied but is now explicitly codified with supporting documentation expectations.

For alcohol sale advertising, advertisers can promote beverages up to the maximum permitted Alcohol by Volume (ABV) for that specific region, as well as 0% ABV beverages. The practical implication for alcohol brands, hospitality venues, and e-commerce retailers selling alcohol is that campaigns that were previously approved and running may require re-review under the expanded policy, and that new campaigns will face more rigorous initial screening in newly approved locations.

For Australian advertisers specifically, the changes reinforce the requirement to align with Australia’s alcohol advertising codes — including the ABAC (Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code) requirements — and to demonstrate age-gating mechanisms that meet Google’s standards.

Gambling Advertising

Effective September 14, 2026, Google is updating its Gambling and games policy to expand the certification requirements that were initially launched in March to cover all categories under this policy. Gambling is one of the most heavily regulated advertising categories on Google, and this policy expansion adds further layers to an already complex framework.

The updated policy affects online casinos, sports betting operators, poker platforms, lottery operators, and in some markets, daily fantasy sports platforms. It also introduces stricter requirements around account management and domain eligibility.

Key changes in the gambling certification requirements:

• All accounts seeking to advertise in any gambling and games category must now demonstrate good policy health
• Manager Accounts (MCCs) with repeated online gambling certificate revocations will forfeit eligibility to apply for any new online gambling certificates, and may have existing certifications revoked
• Accounts under MCC management that are repeatedly flagged for gambling violations while using a certificate will result in MCC-level penalties
• Domain requirements are being reinforced with specific emphasis on eligibility criteria

Strict domain requirements for gambling certification:

• Websites hosted on free subdomains are ineligible for certification
• The domain must be directly owned and controlled by the business applying for certification
• Standalone domains unrelated to gambling activities are ineligible for certification
• Certification is limited to the specific domain submitted in the application

For the Australian market, where gambling advertising is already subject to significant regulatory pressure from state and federal frameworks, this creates an additional compliance layer that sits on top of existing obligations under the Interactive Gambling Act and state-specific broadcasting standards. Australian gambling operators running Google Ads campaigns need to assess whether their existing certifications remain sufficient under the expanded policy or whether re-application is required under the new framework.

The timing requirements are noteworthy — gambling advertisers who do not hold current certifications under the new framework will have their campaigns paused automatically when the expanded policy takes effect on September 14, 2026 in their markets, without the manual grace periods that previously applied.

Games Advertising

The games category expansion is the broadest change in scope, affecting the largest number of advertisers. Google’s Gambling and games policy update has extended its governance to more explicitly regulate several categories of game advertising that were previously handled under general advertising standards rather than category-specific rules.

The expanded policy specifically addresses games with simulated gambling mechanics — loot boxes, social casino features, and randomised reward systems that do not involve real money but replicate gambling experience and aesthetics. These have historically occupied a grey area in Google’s policy framework, and the expansion moves them into a defined category with specific restrictions.

Advertisers promoting mobile games, console games, or PC games that include loot box mechanics, social casino elements, or simulated gambling features must now comply with additional transparency requirements — including disclosure of the presence of these mechanics in the advertising creative itself in some markets.

The expansion also covers games that include in-app purchasing or subscription upsells, with new restrictions on how these features can be presented in advertising to audiences that may include minors, even when the audience targeting is set to adults.

Why These Changes Matter for Paid Search Campaigns?

The practical disruption from these policy expansions goes beyond simply reviewing creative or updating compliance documentation. For advertisers in affected categories, the changes can affect campaign delivery immediately — either through automatic pauses triggered by the new policy framework, through manual review delays when existing campaigns are flagged for re-assessment, or through increased rejection rates on new ad creative.

For businesses managing Google Ads campaigns in-house, identifying whether their specific products or services fall within the expanded policy categories requires reading the policy documentation carefully — particularly the updated Gambling and games policy and Alcohol policy pages — and in some cases requesting formal clarification from Google’s advertising support channels — a process that can take time and delay campaign activity.

For businesses working with a paid advertising agency, the agency needs to be aware of the changes and proactive about assessing existing campaigns against the new requirements before policy enforcement affects delivery. Our Google Ads agency services include ongoing policy compliance monitoring as part of campaign management — identifying when Google’s policies change in ways that affect client campaigns and taking action before enforcement creates disruption.

Understanding the Timeline and Geographic Impact

The alcohol policy expansion takes effect on July 28, 2026, making this the immediate priority for alcohol advertisers. The gambling and games policy expansion takes effect on September 14, 2026, providing a slightly longer window but still requiring prompt action for certification applications and account adjustments.

For advertisers in Australia, both changes are relevant. Alcohol advertisers should verify their current geographic targeting and ensure campaigns are aligned with Australia’s existing regulatory framework. Gambling operators need to begin assessing their domain eligibility and certification status under the new stricter requirements well before the September implementation date.

The Certification Process: What It Involves

For gambling and alcohol advertisers who need to obtain or renew certifications under the expanded policy, the process involves applying through Google’s official certification request pathway. The requirements vary by market but typically include providing evidence of valid licences to operate in the relevant jurisdiction, documentation of age-verification mechanisms, confirmation of compliance with local advertising regulations, and in some cases specific creative approvals.

The certification process takes time — typically several weeks for initial applications and shorter for renewals when the documentation is in order. Advertisers who delay initiating the certification process risk gaps in campaign delivery while certification is pending, particularly if existing certifications lapse or require re-evaluation under the new framework.

For businesses that have not previously needed certification — some alcohol advertisers and games companies, in particular — the first-time certification process requires assembling documentation that may not be immediately to hand. Planning the process early and understanding what Google requires before submitting the application reduces the risk of delays from incomplete submissions.

For gambling advertisers specifically, the emphasis on domain ownership and ineligibility of free subdomains means that any operator using a subdomain on a third-party platform or shared hosting environment will not be eligible for certification under the new rules.

Beyond Google: The Broader Advertising Policy Landscape

Google’s policy expansion does not occur in isolation. Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Twitter (X), and other major advertising platforms have all been progressively tightening their policies in sensitive categories over the past several years, and the direction of travel is consistently toward more explicit requirements, more frequent certification, and stricter enforcement mechanisms.

For businesses in alcohol, gambling, and games that advertise across multiple platforms, policy changes on one platform frequently signal similar changes coming on others. Managing compliance across multiple platforms requires staying current with each platform’s own policy frameworks and renewal cycles — a significant ongoing commitment for businesses without specialist support.

Our Facebook Ads agency and Twitter Ads agency services are managed with the same policy-awareness approach as our Google Ads work, ensuring that campaigns across platforms are monitored for compliance requirements in the same way. Where Google’s policy changes affect campaign strategy across multiple channels, a coordinated multi-platform response is often more effective than managing each platform independently.

What Advertisers in Affected Categories Should Do Now?

Assess whether your campaigns fall within the expanded policy categories. The three areas covered by the expansion — alcohol, gambling, and games — have specific product and service definitions within the policy documentation. Review Google’s Alcohol policy, Alcohol information policy, and Gambling and games policy to understand precisely where your campaigns sit within each framework. Not every advertiser who sells alcohol, operates in gaming, or has a gambling-adjacent product is affected equally.

Review existing certifications and domain eligibility. If you hold certifications for gambling or alcohol advertising in specific markets, confirm whether those certifications remain valid under the new policy framework or whether re-application is required. If you advertise gambling products, audit your domain setup — if you’re using a free subdomain, shared hosting platform, or domain you don’t directly own and control, you will be ineligible for certification under the new rules. Where re-application is needed, begin the process as early as possible, given processing times.

For alcohol advertisers specifically, map new geographic opportunities. With 28 new countries added to the approved list, assess whether expanding to any of these newly approved locations makes business sense for your brand. However, ensure that you understand the ABV restrictions for each region (some countries have percentage limitations) and that you can comply with local advertising regulations.

Audit active creative for games with simulated gambling or loot box mechanics. If your game advertising promotes titles that include these features, review the creative for compliance with disclosure requirements under the expanded policy and adjust it before enforcement begins in your markets.

Monitor campaign delivery closely during the transition periods. Policy changes of this scope often produce unexpected automated reviews of existing campaigns — even those that complied with previous policy. Mark your calendar for July 28, 2026 (alcohol policy) and September 14, 2026 (gambling and games policy), and closely monitor impression volumes, approval statuses, and any policy notifications in your Google Ads account during these transition periods. Early detection and response to any disruption is critical.

Consider the impact on bidding and budget allocation. If campaigns in affected categories face delivery interruptions during the certification or compliance period, the impact on account performance can extend beyond the directly affected campaigns — particularly in accounts where shared budgets or campaign-level quality signals are involved. Plan for potential delivery impacts and have contingency budget allocation strategies in place.

Our PPC management services include proactive policy compliance work for clients in sensitive advertising categories, and our AdWords management services Melbourne team monitors Google’s policy announcements and assesses their impact on client campaigns as part of standard account management. If you are unsure whether the Google Ads policy expansion affects your campaigns, or if you need support navigating the certification process or domain eligibility requirements, contact us to discuss your specific situation and how to ensure continuous campaign delivery through the transition.