Gambling Affiliate Advertising Rules

How each platform treats affiliates

Each platform page in the policy library has the full quote and source.

Operators answer for affiliates

Regulators increasingly treat affiliate ads as the operator's ads. Massachusetts says operators remain responsible for ads run by "an affiliated entity or a third party," and prohibits revenue-share deals tied to users a third party sends to the operator. Ohio says affiliate marketers "must comply with all aspects of this rule" and lets the commission require a proprietor to end an affiliate contract over violations. The American Gaming Association (AGA) code asks members to give a copy of the code to "affiliates and other third parties."

In Great Britain, Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) 1.1.2 says "Licensees are responsible for the actions of third parties with whom they contract," and requires contract terms that make third parties act as if bound by the same license conditions. For affiliates, the practical result is the same in every market: expect operators to send you their rules, review your pages and ask for changes.

What affiliates should prepare

1. Proof of the relationship with each licensed operator you promote, for platforms that ask, such as Microsoft.
2. Market-specific pages. Separate pages per country, and per state in the US, make it easier to show only licensed operators and the right help information.
3. Offer copy checked by the operator. Bonus wording must meet the market's rules; see the bonus advertising rules guide.
4. Link design that fits the platform. On X in the US, the ad may not link straight to an operator or allow betting on the landing page.
5. A clear landing page. Follow the landing page requirements as an operator would.

Dated changes for affiliates

X allowed gambling affiliate and aggregator ads in the US in February 2022 and in Canada in May 2023, both with restrictions. A December 2025 trade report describes Microsoft pilots admitting "managed affiliate advertisers" in US sports betting and casino tests, which we could not confirm from Microsoft's own pages. Follow the change tracker for confirmed changes.

Questions

Can a gambling comparison site run Google Ads?

Yes, if it qualifies as an aggregator or affiliate site under Google's policy and is certified for each target country.

Is an operator responsible if its affiliate breaks an advertising rule?

In Massachusetts and Ohio, the rules make the operator answerable for affiliate ads. In Great Britain, LCCP 1.1.2 makes licensees responsible for the actions of third parties they contract with.

Sources

1. Google Ads Policies Help, Gambling and games (official English version), no date shown.
2. Microsoft Advertising, Gambling and contests advertising program, page metadata date 06-10-2026 (format not stated); no visible date.
3. Ifrah Law, Navigating the High-Stakes World of Online Gaming Advertising: Policies, Permissions, and Enforcement, August 28, 2023. secondary source
4. X Business, Gambling content, no date shown.
5. X Business, X Ads Policy Update Log, entries dated by month.
6. Snap Policy Center, Gaming, Gambling and Lotteries, no date shown.
7. Massachusetts Gaming Commission, 205 CMR 256.00: Sports wagering advertising, Mass. Register #1581, August 28, 2026.
8. Ohio Administrative Code (official), Rule 3775-16-08 Advertising, effective October 15, 2022; five-year review October 15, 2027.
9. American Gaming Association, Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, updated March 28, 2023.
10. Gambling Commission, LCCP 1.1.2 Responsibility for third parties: all licences, no date shown.

All pages checked October 28, 2026. How we choose sources: data sources.