Platform ad policies (Google / Meta / Microsoft / X)
Being legally licensed is necessary but not sufficient to run gambling ads on the major platforms. Each platform runs its own approval scheme: advertisers must apply, prove they hold a valid licence for the specific country they want to target, and get certified or granted written permission before ads can run. Approval is granted country-by-country and can be suspended if the underlying licence lapses.
Google Ads requires gambling advertisers to be certified; certification is per-country, requires a valid local licence (e.g. UK Gambling Commission registration), a responsible-gambling landing page, and never targeting minors.
Meta requires prior written permission for online gambling and gaming ads, obtained via its Permissions and Verifications flow with legal business name, website and proof of licensing; approval is territory-by-territory.
Meta's permission requirement also covers affiliate/aggregator landing pages that promote gambling even where you cannot gamble directly on the page.
Microsoft Advertising requires advertisers to join its Gambling and Contests program, hold a valid licence for each market, target only pre-approved markets, and geo/age-target to 18+ (or the higher local age).
X (Twitter) prohibits gambling ads by default, allowing them only in specified countries after Sensitive Category Verification / pre-authorization with licence documentation; it also bars gambling from paid influencer partnerships.
Across all four, approval is jurisdiction-specific: clearance for one country or URL does not authorize another, and advertisers must notify the platform if a licence is suspended, expires or is revoked.
The operator (or its authorized agency/affiliate) must obtain each platform's certification or permission before advertising, and remains responsible for keeping licences current and creatives compliant. The platform gate is layered on top of national licensing, so an operator legal in a market can still be blocked from advertising there until it clears the platform's own review.
Reference, not advice. A teaching summary of the advertising rules — confirm current requirements with the regulator and the relevant ad platform.