YouTube is modifying its online gambling content rules. The new rules, announced Tuesday, prohibit content creators from mentioning the names of -- or display the logos or links to -- gambling services YouTube’s parent company Google hasn't approved. The new policy goes into effect Mar. 19.
YouTube also said it may put age restrictions on some approved gambling content. This could mean viewers under age 18 -- or viewers not signed into YouTube -- may be unable to access gambling content. Google is also considering removing content promising guaranteed gambling returns, even if the service is on Google’s approved list.
In its announcement, YouTube said, “We know this update may impact creators who focus on online gambling content like casino games and applications, but we believe these changes are a necessary step in protecting our community, especially younger viewers.”
Creators can still show videos of themselves betting on sports or gambling in-person, as long they don't identify unapproved sites. Gambling creators can submit a form to YouTube verifying whether or not a gambling site is allowed. Specifically, Google will only permit sites it can verify meet “local legal requirements.”
Regulations subject to review
YouTube continually reviews its content and advertising guidelines. Given the everchanging gambling regulation landscape, YouTube often reevaluates policies pertaining to that sector. For instance, in July 2021, YouTube prohibited masthead ads on its site from “assets that depict or reference gambling-related content, including offline gambling, online gambling, online non-casino games, and social casino games is a prohibited category.”
YouTube is hardly the only site where gambling content must meet certain requirements. For instance, most gambling-related ads on TikTok require a TikTok Sales Representative to determine whether or not the “gambling activities are appropriately licensed by a regulator, or otherwise established as lawful in the delivery market.” Meanwhile, Twitch prohibits sites featuring slots, roulette or dice games that are not “licensed either in the U.S. or in other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection.”
