YouTube to Allow Gambling Adverts

YouTube has a history of refusing adverts from gambling operators, bookies and online casinos and other gambling websites that dates back nearly to the birth of the site; at least in the UK.

This week it has broken from that tradition and began to allow online casinos and gambling companies to advertise on the site, both through video adverts, text links on videos and banners on the website. Ladbrokes will be the first company to be allowed to post such adverts but it’s very likely many smaller companies will follow.

Any licensed gambling business from Italy, Spain France or the UK will be allowed to advertise to UK consumers on YouTube under the new rules. YouTube is owned by search giant Google who were forced to stop advertising casinos in the US a few years ago, but no such rule exists in the UK, allowing YouTube to offer its advertising space to gamblers.

YouTube has stated it is well equipped to prevent adverts being sent to its vast under 18 user base by using the same software that it uses to prevent videos it deems mature from being viewed. YouTube claims this systems successfully blocks anyone under 18 from viewing mature content and will do the same for gambling adverts, although the reality might be quite different.

You should be able to find Ladbrokes adverts on YouTube from this week, but we imagine any number of online casinos and bookies will be advertising on YouTube within the month.