What YouTube’s gambling crackdown means for affiliates

For affiliates who use YouTube as part of their ongoing marketing strategy, it won’t have gone unnoticed that there are new policies relating to online gambling content that have come into effect as of March 19th 2025. 

These policies will change the way we can leverage this channel. We will see a significant shift in the platform’s approach to gambling-related material which in turn will have a huge impact on how we publish content on this forum.  Here, we will deep dive into the policy update itself, what it means for affiliates - and how we can mitigate disruption.  

Understanding the policy update

The purpose of the policy revision is focused on restricting content that promotes unapproved gambling services, however, they are stringent and can affect even those of us directing traffic responsibly.  Affiliates promoting gambling can no longer:

• Use clickable links that will direct to gambling websites that are not certified by Google
• Display any logos, imagery or text references to these platforms
• Have any verbal mentions directing viewers to these sites

Additionally, content that promises "guaranteed returns" from gambling activities will be removed, irrespective of the gambling service's approval status. In fairness, this should push us as an industry in the right direction of promoting our products responsibly and ethically, however, there is now even less room for error than before when it comes to what could be innocent mistakes. 

As another layer of protection, videos related to online gambling are also subject to age restrictions, making them inaccessible to users under 18 or those not signed into YouTube which may in the first instance negatively impact the reach the videos receive. Although it’s difficult to find exact statistics on the number of users who browse without being signed in, it is estimated that it is a significant portion. 

Implications for affiliates

For affiliates who rely on YouTube as a way of sending traffic to operators, there will need to be a strategic reassessment as to how it’s used moving forward. 

Embedding referral links into video descriptions was a primary method for affiliates to drive user engagement and revenue.  As an overall model, affiliates should look into:

• How their revenue streams are impacted: As there is no longer the ability to include direct links to gambling sites, how does this affect your overall YouTube marketing model? Once you can attribute key metrics to YouTube, you can then start to look as to how you can fill that void. It may be more of a loss of brand awareness than direct revenue, in which case this could be easier to resolve
  
  
• How to evolve your content strategy: Affiliates need to explore alternative content approaches that comply with YouTube's guidelines while still engaging their target audience. This might involve focusing on educational content about gambling laws, responsible gambling practices, or general gaming entertainment without direct promotion.​  Could your current strategy be turned into a safer gambling initiative or focus?

• How to diversify your strategy: Typically YouTube would be part of an overall marketing plan for an affiliate, however, if it’s something that is heavily relied on (for example if you are using a YouTube brand ambassador with a large following), you need to start looking at how you can leverage other channels more effectively.  Could some of the content be tailored to other mediums?
  
  

In conclusion, while YouTube's updated policies present challenges for affiliates in the igaming space, they also offer an opportunity for us to innovate and diversify. By understanding the new guidelines and adapting strategies accordingly, affiliates can continue to reach audiences within the platform.