Google tightens gambling ad certification rules as policy health rules reshape African markets
New certification standards increase compliance pressure on betting, lottery and igaming operators across regulated African jurisdictions.
Cameroon.- Google has tightened gambling advertising certification rules for operators in African markets where gambling ads are permitted, placing greater focus on account history, policy compliance and advertiser-owned digital infrastructure.
As part of broader Gambling and Games certification changes across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the rules, which took effect from March 23 2026, require all gambling advertisers to demonstrate what Google calls “good policy health” to obtain or retain certification across approved jurisdictions.
This shifts the focus beyond simple local licensing to ongoing platform compliance, meaning operators with valid gambling licences can still lose access to Google Ads if they fail Google’s certification checks.
According to Google Ads Help’s Gambling and Games policy update under Certification Requirements for Gambling and Games Advertisers, “All accounts seeking to advertise in any Gambling and Games category must now demonstrate good policy health as set out below”.
Google published the certification notice, giving operators a limited compliance window before the stricter rules took effect on March 23. In addition to certification checks, gambling advertisers must only target approved countries, display responsible gambling information on landing pages and ensure ads do not target minors.
Under the revised rules, advertisers must maintain strong compliance records, avoid repeated policy violations and ensure no previous gambling certificates have been revoked. Accounts with repeated violations or revoked certifications may lose eligibility for gambling advertising certification entirely, preventing them from promoting regulated gambling services through the platform.
The stricter rules also apply to Manager Accounts (MCCs), commonly used by affiliate groups and agency networks managing multiple operator campaigns. If an MCC records a significant number of revoked gambling certificates or repeated policy breaches, Google may revoke certifications across all managed accounts.
Stricter domain ownership requirements have also been reinforced, with certification unavailable for free-hosted websites, third-party subdomains, bridge pages or domains not directly owned and operated by the advertiser.
African compliance impact
The update is particularly relevant in African markets where Google permits gambling advertising subject to certification requirements, including major sportsbook markets such as South Africa and Kenya, where operators rely heavily on Google Ads for brand visibility and digital reach.
For newly licensed operators entering competitive approved jurisdictions, failure to secure certification may limit paid search visibility and slow player acquisition strategies.
Google’s 2026 policy updates also show a wider country-by-country review of gambling advertising approvals across Africa. Google issued a specific Gambling and Games policy update for Ethiopia in January 2026, while licensed operators in Cameroon and Namibia were permitted to advertise from August 2025, subject to local regulatory approval and certification requirements.
In Nigeria as of October 2025, Google announced that gambling ad eligibility would expand to include Cross River, Ekiti and Oyo states, allowing licensed operators in those markets to advertise subject to state licensing and Google certification requirements. The move reflected Google’s increasingly market-specific approach to compliance across African gambling markets.
