Gambling Ad Age Restrictions by Market and Platform

Legal ages in our four markets

Targeting settings on each platform

Every platform we cover bars gambling ads aimed at minors, but they define the age differently:

• Google Ads: gambling ads must "never target minors," and in the US must not target users under 21. Separately, users under 18 are not eligible for personalized advertising of any kind.
• Meta: reported to block targeting of people under 18 with online gambling ads, even with permission, according to a 2023 law firm summary.
• TikTok: "we do not allow gambling ads to be shown to minors."
• Snapchat: ads must not target "people under the legal gambling age in the territory where the ad will run."
• X: the gambling page sets no age of its own, so local law decides.

Where the platform minimum is lower than the law, set the higher number. A US campaign on a platform that only blocks under-18s still needs 21 and over targeting in states like Massachusetts. The platform matrix records each platform's targeting rule by country.

Appeal, not only targeting

Correct age targeting does not make an ad compliant if the creative appeals to young people. In Great Britain, CAP rule 16.3.12 (see the glossary definition of strong appeal) says gambling marketing must not "be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons," a test in force since October 1, 2022. In Ontario, AGCO Standard 2.03 rules out "social media influencers, celebrities, or entertainers who would likely be expected to appeal to minors," and since February 28, 2024 athletes may appear only "for the exclusive purpose of advocating for responsible gambling practices." In the US, the AGA code says no message "should be designed to appeal primarily to those below 21," and Ohio bars ads that depict anyone under 21.

Placement and audience share

Some rules work through audience composition. Massachusetts bars sports wagering ads where "25% of the audience is reasonably expected to be younger than 21 years old." The AGA code limits members to media where "at least 73.6 percent of the audience is reasonably expected to be 21 years or older." Both push advertisers toward audience data they can document. The ad formats and targeting guide covers how to apply them, and the US rules page has the full state detail.

Questions

Can I target 18-year-olds with sports betting ads in the US?

Not in the states we cite. Massachusetts and Ohio rules use 21, and Google bars US gambling ads to users under 21.

Does age targeting alone satisfy the UK strong appeal rule?

No. The CAP rule is about how the ad appeals, not only who it is shown to. An ad with strong appeal to under-18s can breach the rule even if it targets adults.

What age should I use for Australian campaigns?

We did not find an official page stating one national age, so check the law of each state or territory you target and set targeting to match.

Sources

1. Gambling Commission, Gambling and young people, updated June 3, 2021.
2. ASA and CAP, Gambling, betting and gaming: Appeal to children, May 27, 2026.
3. Advertising Standards Authority (CAP Code), CAP Code section 16: Gambling, no date shown.
4. Gambling Commission, LCCP 5.1.6 Compliance with advertising codes, no date shown.
5. Massachusetts Gaming Commission, 205 CMR 256.00: Sports wagering advertising, Mass. Register #1581, August 28, 2026.
6. Ohio Administrative Code (official), Rule 3775-16-08 Advertising, effective October 15, 2022; five-year review October 15, 2027.
7. American Gaming Association, Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, updated March 28, 2023.
8. AGCO, Gaming Site Access and Minimum Age Requirements, no date shown.
9. AGCO, Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming: Responsible Gambling (export), Marketing and Advertising section last updated May 14, 2026.
10. AGCO, AGCO to ban athletes in Ontario's igaming advertising to protect minors, August 29, 2023.
11. Google Ads Policies Help, Gambling and games (official English version), no date shown.
12. Google Ads Policies Help, Location-based gambling in personalized advertising, no date shown.
13. Ifrah Law, Navigating the High-Stakes World of Online Gaming Advertising: Policies, Permissions, and Enforcement, August 28, 2023. secondary source
14. TikTok Advertising Policies, Gambling and Games, last updated October 2026.
15. Snap Policy Center, Gaming, Gambling and Lotteries, no date shown.

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