Google Ads is the most regulated traffic source for gambling, but it's also the highest-intent. Users searching for "best online casino" or "football betting app" are ready to convert. Here's a comprehensive guide to running gambling campaigns across Google's entire ad ecosystem in 2026.
Understanding Google's Gambling Ad Policy
Google allows gambling ads in specific countries, but requires advertisers to hold valid licenses and get certified through Google's gambling ad certification process. The approved countries include the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and several US states.
For affiliates without a direct operator license, the path is more complex. Some affiliate programs provide access to licensed operator ad accounts, while others require affiliates to apply for certification independently. The certification process involves submitting documentation proving you're promoting a licensed gambling product, and Google reviews your landing pages for compliance.
In markets where Google prohibits gambling ads entirely, affiliates use indirect approaches — advertising content that doesn't directly reference gambling but attracts a relevant audience. Think "entertainment apps," "game strategy guides," or "sports analysis tools." These approaches require careful execution to maintain account health.
Search Campaigns: Capturing High-Intent Traffic
Search ads are the crown jewel for gambling affiliates who can access them. The conversion rates are exceptional because users are actively searching for gambling products. A user typing "sign up bonus online casino" has already decided to gamble — they just need the right offer.
Keyword strategy should focus on three tiers. The first tier is brand keywords (specific casino names + "bonus" or "review"), which have the highest conversion rates but require you to promote that specific brand. The second tier is category keywords ("best online casino," "sports betting site"), which have high volume and good intent. The third tier is informational keywords ("how to play blackjack," "football betting tips"), which have lower intent but much lower CPCs.
Ad copy for gambling search campaigns must walk a fine line. Include the specific bonus or offer to drive clicks, but stay within Google's editorial guidelines. Avoid exaggerated claims, mention responsible gambling, and ensure your display URL matches the final URL domain. Every ad extension available should be used — sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets all improve Quality Score and CTR.
UAC / App Campaigns for Casino Apps
Universal App Campaigns (now called App Campaigns) are Google's automated ad format for promoting app installs. For casino operators and affiliates with PWA apps, UAC can deliver massive scale at competitive costs.
UAC campaigns are entirely automated — you provide text assets, images, and video, and Google's algorithm decides where to show them across Search, Display, YouTube, and Google Play. The key to success is providing high-quality, diverse creative assets. Google recommends at least 5 text ideas, 20 images in various formats, and 5 videos.
For PWA-based casino apps, you can run UAC campaigns targeting web app installs rather than Play Store downloads. This sidesteps Google Play's strict gambling app policies. The landing page should feature a prominent "Install" button that triggers the PWA install prompt, and the page itself must load fast enough to maintain Google's Quality Score requirements.
Display Network: Scale with Caution
Google's Display Network reaches over 90% of internet users and offers massive reach for brand awareness and retargeting. For gambling, Display works best as a retargeting channel — showing ads to users who visited your site but didn't convert.
Display retargeting for gambling sites should use dynamic creative that shows the specific offer or game the user viewed. Include urgency elements like "Your 100% bonus is still waiting" with a countdown. Keep frequency caps at 3–5 impressions per user per day to avoid ad fatigue.
Prospecting on Display (showing ads to new users) is less effective for gambling due to low click-through rates and high volumes of bot traffic on some placements. If you use Display prospecting, aggressively exclude low-quality placements and focus on managed placements — specific websites where your target audience reads content.
Landing Page Quality Score
Google assigns a Quality Score to every keyword in your search campaigns, and landing page experience is one of three factors (alongside expected CTR and ad relevance). A low Quality Score means you pay more per click and get lower ad positions.
For gambling landing pages, the factors that affect Quality Score most are page load speed (Google penalizes slow pages aggressively), mobile usability (most gambling searches happen on mobile), content relevance (the page content must match the search intent and ad copy), and transparency (clear terms, responsible gambling information, and license details).
"Google's Quality Score algorithm basically asks: does this page deserve to be the first thing a user sees? If your casino landing page is slow, confusing, or misleading, Google will make you pay — literally — through higher CPCs."
Pages built with iGaming Builder consistently score 8–10 on landing page experience because they're lightweight, mobile-first, and produce clean HTML that Google's crawlers can easily parse.
Gray-Hat Approaches for Restricted Markets
In markets where Google doesn't allow gambling ads, some affiliates use indirect strategies. These include promoting sports news and analysis content, running ads for "free play" or "demo" casino games, advertising financial education content that funnels to gambling offers, and using YouTube ads with content-style videos that don't directly mention gambling.
These approaches carry risk. Google's moderation is the most sophisticated of any ad platform, and they actively update their detection systems. What works today may not work in three months. Always maintain diversified traffic sources so a single platform ban doesn't destroy your business.
The safest approach for long-term sustainability is to get properly certified and run compliant ads in approved markets. The CPCs are higher, but the traffic quality is exceptional and you won't lose your account overnight. Combine Google Ads with SEO and other traffic sources for a balanced, resilient acquisition strategy.