Starting Nov. 17, 2025, YouTube will again “strengthen” its Community Guidelines policy around online gambling content.
“Our policies are designed to evolve alongside the digital world,” Google said in an announcement. “We’re making these updates to keep pace with new trends, like gambling with digital goods.”
Google’s Oct. 28 announcement came the same week as a gambling lawsuit against Canadian rapper Drake and influencer Adin Ross. The lawsuit accused Drake and Ross of promoting illegal online gambling on Stake through social media and live streams. The lawsuit did not name Google or YouTube as a defendant.
The Drake and Ross lawsuit is part of a growing trend of lawsuits against influencers for allegedly promoting illegal online gambling. Earlier in 2025, a lawsuit accused popular YouTube slots influencer Brian Christopher of unlawful and predatory gambling promotion.
In a separate lawsuit, Google is fighting claims it has allowed predatory gambling-like products through its Google Play Store. A federal court ruled that consumers can sue Google for processing payments to so-called “social casinos.”
Google’s most recent announcement followed a similar gambling content policy tightening in March 2025.
YouTube Gambling Policy Changes
Current YouTube gambling policy prohibits content that directs viewers to online gambling sites or applications that are not “certified” by Google.
Google said it decided to expand enforcement to “now cover online gambling with additional items that have monetary value.”
Google singled out “digital goods” and specifically mentioned video game skins, cosmetics, and NFTs. The move appears to be a significant blow to so-called “sweepstakes casinos“, which California criminalized earlier in October. Sweepstakes casinos use a controversial dual currency model.
The tech giant also said it would address social casino content.
“We’re updating our approach to casino-style games where nothing of real-world monetary value is wagered or cashed out. Content that depicts, promotes, or facilitates social casino sites will now be age-restricted,” the company said.
The age-restriction policy would impact content around a product such as NFL Super Bowl Slots. Social casino products mimic gambling and can cause addiction and devastating harm.
Existing YouTube Gambling Content
Google said content uploaded before Nov. 17, 2025, that violates YouTube gambling policy guidelines may be removed or age-restricted, but it will not result in a “strike.”
Age-restricted videos can stay on a channel for 18+ audiences.
For creators who have content that’s in scope of the gambling policy updates, they may be able to edit their video description or use YouTube’s video editor trim or blur tools to make changes before Nov. 17, 2025.
Google said it would notify creators if it age-restricts or removes content, and that creators have an option to appeal the decision.
The policy changes will not impact YouTube content that exposes the predatory nature of online gambling. The power of YouTube was apparent when investigative journalist Coffeezilla revealed that a sportsbook tried to bribe him.
‘Prediction’ Gambling Not Addressed
YouTube’s gambling policy update did not address content promoting “prediction markets,” such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Furthermore, content built around gambling on Robinhood, which offers sports “trading,” has not been addressed.
These allegedly “peer-to-peer” platforms have offered gambling on sports, war, pop culture, and more. In recent months, they’ve built up an army of influencers to promote their products.
Controversial prediction markets operate under Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registration.
Numerous states, such as New York and Massachusetts, have sued or demanded that Kalshi, which is backed by Donald Trump Jr., cease offering sports betting.
States have said that prediction markets facilitate illegal sports gambling without consumer protections.
Complicating matters for Google is Trump Media’s announcement of plans to launch an online gambling platform that will facilitate betting on sports and elections. Google has been friendly to the second Trump Administration.
Image by Ksv_gracis from Pixabay
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