YouTube is the latest tech company to update its policies related to gambling.
The Google-owned online video sharing platform updated its Community Guidelines to align with the dynamic gaming industry amid the popularity of digital goods and social casinos. Starting Nov. 17, YouTube will prohibit its users from sharing non-Google certified content that directs viewers to online gambling sites and apps that use digital goods.
“We expect most channels will experience little to no impact, but we know this is a lot of information, and we want to ensure you have time to adapt,” said YouTube.
YouTube requires Google gambling certification
Google’s gambling ad certification application features designations for the promotion of daily fantasy sports, sports betting, online casinos, horse racing and lottery couriers.
Google certifies gambling advertisers on a country-by-country basis and only offers certification in markets where gambling is legally allowed. Advertisers are required to hold a license or have authorization to offer online gaming to receive certification from Google and are required to notify the company if a license or authorization is suspended or terminated. Advertisers are also required to provide disclaimers that their offerings are intended for legal gambling age users. If a company wants to promote social casinos, they must disclose that they aren’t promoting real-money gambling.
YouTube’s new policy expands what is gambling
YouTube is making changes to its policy to accommodate the use of digital goods in online gaming. The company’s previous policy did not include digital goods such as NFTs and video game skins but banned the promotion of online gaming sites that are not certified, such as social casinos or in-game gambling within video games.
YouTube is now requiring users that offer gambling content tied to NFT and video game skins to also be certified by Google. The video platform is also updated its guidelines to include social casino content as operators can leverage digital dual-currency systems.
YouTube’s previous policy did not explicitly mention social casinos.
Next steps for YouTube content creators
Before Nov. 17, YouTube is allowing content creators to edit existing content to adhere to its updated policy. YouTube warned creators that content that violates its guidelines will be removed or age-restricted but will not count against the company’s three-strike policy.
Creators can submit an appeal to YouTube for content that is removed or age-restricted.
In addition to updates for online gambling, YouTube announced plans to age-restrict video game content that has violent scenes that feature “realistic human characters.”
YouTube will also consider the duration and prominence of graphic video game content.
The company’s latest policy update follows changes in March. That month, YouTube announced that it would no longer allow content that directs users to “unapproved” gambling sites. Approved gambling sites must be certified by Google and meet local age standards.
YouTube’s parent company updates advertising policy
Earlier this week, Google updated its Gambling and Games policy. The tech giant clarified the types of games that fail to meet the standards of its social casino games policy.
Google requires certification for gambling ads, with sweepstakes casinos now deemed a type of game that falls “outside of the scope” of its policy. Its previous policy allowed social casino advertising with its update maintaining the same rule. However, Google’s updated policy considers sweepstakes an example of “games that are not social casino games.”
Google is facing a lawsuit in New Jersey over its alleged ties to illegal gambling offered by sweepstakes casino sites, including High 5 Casino and Chumba Casino.
