Online Gambling Restrictions Amended By Internet Giant YouTube
YouTube has announced upcoming changes to its online gambling content rules, with direct links to betting sites set to be banned.
Key Facts:
- YouTube’s updates to policies on online gambling content will come into effect on 19 March
- Aim is to boost viewer protection at the video giant, particularly for younger audiences
- Any content promising guaranteed gambling returns could now be removed by YouTube as a result
- Google, which owns YouTube, has also recently updated guidelines around gambling content recently
Changes, including new rules stating content promising guaranteed gambling returns can be removed, will come into force on 19 March.
Direct links – which YouTube described as URLs, links embedded in images or text, visual displays including logos or verbal references – will no longer be permitted on the site.
YouTube’s changes come just a few weeks after its parent company Google announced its own Gambling and Games Policy is changing, with amendments like clearer definitions of various gambling-related categories coming into force in April.
Age-Restricted Content
YouTube explained in a short blog post detailing the changes being made that content that does not violate community guidelines but still has depictions or promotions of online casino sites or apps may be age-restricted.
It clarified that any online gambling content – with the exclusions of online sports betting and depictions of in-person gambling – will not be available to view by users under the age of 18.
That content will also not be viewable by any YouTube users who are not signed into accounts.
YouTube, which banned gambling ads for its masthead ad spaces three years ago, explained the reasoning behind the changes it is making in a short statement.
The company said: “We know this update may impact creators who focus on online gambling content like casino games and applications, but we believe these changes are a necessary step in protecting our community, especially younger viewers.”
“YouTube is committed to supporting creators while ensuring a safe and responsible platform for everyone.”
Google, which owns YouTube through its parent company Alphabet, recently announced it is starting to test out a new machine learning model that can estimate the age of a user, which it said will allow platforms such as YouTube to provide “age-appropriate experiences”.
YouTube Follows Twitch’s Lead
YouTube is not the only internet video company to be cracking down on gambling content.
The company is following in the footsteps of Twitch, a streaming site that has gradually been moving away from betting and casino content in recent years.
In 2022, Twitch announced a ban on its users being able to post videos of themselves playing on unlicensed gambling sites, with slots, roulette and dice games all covered by the change.
However, with YouTube hosting such a vast amount of video content, the changes raise questions about how the platform intends to moderate and enforce its new rules.
