Google has updated its gambling and games policy this month. Ontario has been added to the list of provinces and regions that are able to submit gambling and games ads to be run through Google.
The site will permit advertising for offline gambling, online gambling, social casino games and for offline non-casino games.
Advertisers that want to run their ads through Google must apply for certification. Applications for certification are now open to advertisers who wish to promote online gambling content in the Canadian province.
Google announced in an online statement the company posted: “We support responsible gambling advertising and abide by local gambling laws and industry standards, so we don’t allow certain kinds of gambling-related advertising. Gambling-related ads are allowed if they comply with the policies below and the advertiser has received the proper Google Ads certification. Gambling ads must target approved countries, have a landing page that displays information about responsible gambling, and never target minors.”
Google also stated that there could be additional restrictions based on which countries an advertising campaign targets.
The company posted: “If a country isn't listed, it means Google Ads currently does not support gambling advertising in that country.”
The ad and policy page was updated when the changes went into effect.
The Ontario market is scheduled to open on April 4 and is the first province to introduce a licensing system like this into the market.
According to H2 Gambling Capital, Canada’s combined online sports betting and iCasino markets in 2022 are valued at more than $2bn.
Ontario is projected to become one of North America’s largest iGaming markets once open.
