Reference
Gambling Ad Policy Glossary
Short definitions of 26 terms that come up in ad platform policies and gambling advertising rules, each linked to the page that covers it in depth.
- Affiliate
- A publisher paid by an operator for traffic or sign-ups. Platforms often treat affiliates separately from licensed operators, and some require extra authorization for them. See Gambling Affiliate Advertising Rules.
- AGCO
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which registers iGaming operators and sets the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming, including advertising rules. See Canada Gambling Advertising Rules.
- Aggregator
- A site that compares or lists several gambling operators. Google restricts the promotion of gambling-promoting content to aggregator or affiliate sites that meet its requirements. See Google Ads Gambling and Games Policy.
- BCAP Code
- The UK Code of Broadcast Advertising, written by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). See UK Gambling Advertising Rules.
- BetStop
- Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register for licensed online and phone wagering. Providers must promote it and must not market to people who are registered. See Australia Gambling Advertising Rules.
- CAP Code
- The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct and Promotional Marketing. Section 16 covers gambling. Gambling Commission licensees must comply with it under LCCP 5.1.6. See UK Gambling Advertising Rules.
- Certification
- A platform's approval process for gambling advertisers. Google, TikTok and X call it certification; it usually needs license evidence for each target country. See Google Ads Gambling Certification: A Step-by-Step Guide.
- Consistent gambling messaging
- Australia's national taglines and messaging for online wagering providers, required from March 30, 2023 under the National Consumer Protection Framework. See Responsible Gambling Messages in Gambling Ads.
- Direct marketing
- Email, SMS, push and similar messages sent to identified customers. Great Britain, Ontario and Massachusetts all set consent or opt-out rules for it. See Gambling Bonus and Offer Advertising Rules.
- Eligible (limited)
- A Google Ads status for a campaign that targets both allowed and disallowed countries. The ads run only where gambling ads are allowed. See Google Ads Gambling Certification: A Step-by-Step Guide.
- GAMSTOP
- A free self-exclusion service for online gambling in Great Britain. See Safer Gambling Help.
- Geotargeting
- Limiting where an ad can show. Most gambling policies require targeting only the countries, states or provinces where the advertiser is licensed. See Gambling Ad Formats, Placements and Targeting.
- Inducement
- A bonus, credit or other offer meant to encourage play. Ontario bans public advertising of inducements outside the operator's site and consented direct marketing. See Gambling Bonus and Offer Advertising Rules.
- Interactive Gambling Act (IGA)
- Australia's federal law that bans certain online services, including online casinos and in-play online sports betting, and bans advertising them. See Australia Gambling Advertising Rules.
- Landing page
- The page an ad sends people to. Platforms review it as part of the ad, so license, age and responsible gambling information must be on it. See Gambling Landing Page Requirements and Disclosures.
- LCCP
- The Gambling Commission's Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice. Section 5 covers marketing, including compliance with the CAP and BCAP codes. See UK Gambling Advertising Rules.
- Lottery courier
- A service that buys state lottery tickets for customers. Google accepts certified lottery courier ads only in US states where the service is not prohibited. See Google Ads Gambling and Games Policy.
- Minimum age
- The legal gambling age in the target jurisdiction. It differs by market: 18 for most gambling in Great Britain, 19 for Ontario iGaming sites, 21 in the US states we cite. See Gambling Ad Age Restrictions by Market and Platform.
- Platform policy
- The rules an ad platform sets for its own inventory. They sit on top of the law and can be stricter than it, but never make an unlawful ad lawful. See Platform Policy vs Gambling Law: How the Two Layers Fit.
- Responsible gambling message
- Required wording or helpline information in gambling ads or on landing pages, set by regulators, codes or platform policies. See Responsible Gambling Messages in Gambling Ads.
- Self-exclusion
- A way for a person to block themselves from gambling services. Advertisers must not market to people who have self-excluded. See Safer Gambling Help.
- Strong appeal
- The UK test in CAP rule 16.3.12, in force since October 1, 2022: gambling marketing must not be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons. See Gambling Ad Age Restrictions by Market and Platform.
- Wagering requirement
- How many times bonus funds must be staked before winnings can be withdrawn. Great Britain caps it at ten times from January 19, 2026. See Gambling Bonus and Offer Advertising Rules.
- Written permission
- Meta's requirement, as reported by a 2023 law firm summary, that online gambling advertisers obtain approval before running ads. See Meta Online Gambling and Games Ad Policy.
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