Pre-Launch Compliance: What to Check in iGaming Ads for Brands and Agencies
A halted campaign costs more than a week of checks before launch. Here's the sequence brands and agencies can follow to clear compliance before the first impression.
Contents
- Step 1. A license in the target GEO
- Step 2. Local advertising rules: three examples
- Step 3. Platform rules: Meta and Google
- Step 4. 18+ and responsible gambling in creatives
- Step 5. Influencers: disclosure and audience
- Step 6. Who's responsible for what: brand, agency, creator
- Pre-launch compliance checklist
- FAQ
Rejected ads, a revoked ad account authorization, a complaint to the regulator, an influencer integration taken down — almost always, these are the result of questions nobody asked before launch. Asking them upfront is cheaper than cleaning up afterwards.
Below is a working sequence of checks for brands and agencies. It's a practical checklist, not legal advice.
Step 1. A license in the target GEO
An agency's first question to a brand isn't about budget — it's about the license. Advertising only makes sense where the operator is allowed to serve players from that country.
- Which regulator issued the license, and does it cover the target country?
- Is the brand listed in the regulator's public register, and do the legal entity and the domain match?
- Which verticals are covered? In many countries, casino, sports betting and poker are licensed separately.
- When does the license expire, and are there any open sanctions from the regulator?
For the agency, it's also a question of platform access: both Meta and Google require proof of a license or of lawful operation in every country you target.
“Could you send us the license number and a link to the regulator's register entry for each GEO in the brief? Without them, we can't submit the authorization request in the ad account.”
Step 2. Local advertising rules: three examples
A license lets you operate, but it doesn't tell you how to advertise. Advertising requirements often live in separate acts and codes. Three European examples show how different they can be.
| Country | What governs advertising | What matters for the campaign |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | The CAP and BCAP Codes, enforced by the ASA | Since October 1, 2022, gambling ads must not be of strong appeal to under-18s. This covers well-known athletes, influencers and celebrities with a significant under-18 following, as well as references to video games popular with teenagers. |
| Italy | Article 9 of the Decreto Dignità (2018), overseen by AGCOM | A ban on advertising and sponsorship of gambling with cash winnings in any medium, including the internet and social media. Under AGCOM's 2019 guidelines, the ban also covers indirect advertising and influencers. |
| Spain | Royal Decree 958/2020 | Audiovisual advertising for most types of gambling is limited to a late-night window from 1:00 to 5:00 a.m., and restrictions were introduced on celebrities, bonuses and social media advertising. In April 2024, Spain's Supreme Court struck down some of the provisions, including several rules on new-customer promotions, celebrities and social media — check the version currently in force. |
The takeaway is simple: the same creative concept can be acceptable in one country and outright banned next door. Creatives and media plans get signed off for each GEO separately, not as “one package for Europe.”
Step 3. Platform rules: Meta and Google
Platforms add their own layer of requirements. It doesn't replace local regulation; it sits on top of it.
Meta
- Online gambling ads are allowed only after the ad account has been authorized; the request is submitted through Meta Business Suite.
- You need to confirm that the activity is licensed by a regulator or otherwise lawful in the target country.
- Before targeting a new jurisdiction for the first time, you have to declare your intent to advertise there.
- Targeting people under 18 is prohibited, and in some countries these ads aren't supported at all.
- Gambling ads require Google certification, separately for each country.
- A valid local license is required for every targeted region.
- The landing page needs responsible gambling information, an age warning, help resources and terms and conditions, plus the licensee's name and license number in the footer.
- Affiliates and aggregators may only send traffic to licensed operators.
YouTube separately age-restricts online casino content and, since March 2025, has prohibited directing viewers to sites not certified by Google. This matters for influencer integrations.
Step 4. 18+ and responsible gambling in creatives
The agency checks this block before sending creatives for approval; the brand checks it before publishing.
- The 18+ mark (or the age threshold set in the country) is visible in the creative and on the landing page.
- There's a responsible gambling message and a link to support, if the GEO or the platform requires it.
- No promises of guaranteed winnings, “easy money” or a way out of financial problems.
- No characters, styles, music or references that appeal primarily to teenagers.
- Bonus terms — if bonuses can be advertised in this GEO at all — are stated honestly and in full.
- The landing page matches the ad and includes the licensee's details.
Step 5. Influencers: disclosure and audience
Integrations carry their own risks: creators speak in their own words, often live, and the real audience doesn't always match the media kit.
- Disclosure. The integration must be clearly identifiable as an ad. YouTube has a paid promotion setting for this; Twitch has a Branded Content checkbox. The UK's ASA expects a prominent label such as “Ad” at the start of a post; local laws may require more.
- Audience. Request age and country analytics. In the UK, a creator with a large under-18 audience isn't suitable for gambling ads; in Italy, influencer advertising falls under the general ban.
- Script. Agree on key messages and off-limits phrasing: no promises of winnings and no calls to “win it back.”
- Platform. Confirm the format is allowed under the rules of Twitch, YouTube or whichever platform you're using, on the go-live date.
More on formats and vetting creators in our guide to influencer marketing in iGaming.
Step 6. Who's responsible for what: brand, agency, creator
Regulators and platforms rarely try to work out who in the chain made the mistake. That's why the areas of responsibility are written into the contract before launch.
| Area | Brand | Agency | Influencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| License and legality in the GEO | Provides documents, reports changes | Checks before launch; doesn't launch without confirmation | — |
| Creatives and copy | Approves | Prepares them to GEO and platform requirements | Follows the agreed script |
| Targeting and audience | Sets the permitted countries | Sets up 18+ and permitted GEOs only | Provides audience analytics |
| Ad disclosure | Writes the requirement into the contract | Monitors compliance | Applies platform labels and legally required disclosures |
| Violation and takedown | Decides on a pause | Stops the campaign on request | Removes or edits content within the agreed timeframe |
What to discuss with a lawyer: the brand's warranties on licensing, the agency's obligation to follow platform rules, the creative approval process, the response time to a regulator's request, how fines are allocated, and the right to pause a campaign without penalties.
“We suggest putting it in writing: the brand confirms its license for each GEO, the agency doesn't run ads in any country outside that list, and every creative goes live only after written approval.”
Pre-launch compliance checklist
- The brand's license covers every GEO in the campaign, and the regulator's register entry has been checked.
- Local advertising rules have been reviewed for each country separately.
- The ad account has Meta authorization or Google certification in the relevant countries.
- Targeting: permitted countries only, and age 18+ or higher where the law requires it.
- Creatives contain no promises of winnings and nothing that appeals to minors.
- The landing page has 18+, responsible gambling information and the licensee's details.
- Influencer integrations are labeled, and the audience has been checked.
- Responsibilities and the procedure for violations are set out in the contract.
If you're a brand looking for an agency that works in the right GEO and within platform rules, describe your task on our page for brands. How to weigh regulation against the other country-selection criteria is covered in our article on how to choose a GEO.
FAQ
Who is responsible for compliance — the brand or the agency?
Both, but for different things. The brand is responsible for the license, the product and approving creatives; the agency is responsible for execution: targeting, following platform rules, ad disclosure. The exact split and the consequences of violations are set out in the contract.
If a brand has a license, can it advertise in any country?
No. A license in one jurisdiction doesn't give you the right to serve players from any country. Many countries require a local license, and Google explicitly requires a local license for every targeted region.
What should you do if a platform rejects an ad?
Read the reason, fix the creative, the landing page or the documents and, if needed, file an appeal through the platform's official interface. Attempts to get around moderation lead to account bans and lost authorizations.
Is this article legal advice?
No. It's a practical checklist to help you prepare for launch. Make decisions on any specific jurisdiction together with a lawyer who works in it.