Google has introduced a major change to its advertising rules by banning sweepstakes casinos from promoting their platforms under its “social gaming” category. The new policy is aimed at bringing clearer control over online gambling promotions and preventing misleading advertising practices.
Sweepstakes casinos have been widely marketed as social gaming platforms, even though many of them allow players to redeem virtual tokens for real cash or prizes. This model has raised concerns among regulators in the United States, who argue that these platforms operate like real-money gambling sites under a different name.
With the new update to its Gambling and Games policy, Google has officially stated that sweepstakes casinos no longer qualify as “social casino games.” As a result, these platforms are no longer eligible to advertise through Google Ads.
Sweepstakes casinos typically use two types of digital currency: one for free play and another that can be exchanged for real money. Although companies claim the system complies with gambling laws, several states and legal experts say the redeemable tokens are effectively the same as placing real bets.
Recently, sweepstakes casino operators have faced lawsuits and orders to stop their services in some regions. Google’s policy shift aligns with the growing view that these platforms should be regulated under gambling laws instead of social entertainment.
The change means sweepstakes casino companies will face stricter advertising rules and fewer promotional opportunities, marking a clearer separation between casual online games and real-money gambling across Google’s platforms.
