X has new rules regarding its paid partnerships policy and the gambling industry is one of several sectors impacted. Under the new terms, gambling promotions from influencer collaborations or paid-for-content are prohibited.
Key Takeaways
- The X paid partnership policy update was announced this week.
- X includes social casinos and sports betting under gambling sector.
- Users who violate the policy could face account suspension.
X (previously known as Twitter) account holders, businesses, and advertisers were notified about the paid partnership policy changes earlier this week. The prohibited industries section of the policy specifically highlights the content categories that are not eligible for the paid partnership promotion. Lotteries, social casinos, sports betting, and other gambling-related content are all listed under the gambling products and services section.
Here is how X, the social media company owned by Elon Musk, defines paid partnerships:
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account“The involvement of a third-party brand providing compensation or incentives to a user, such as an influencer or content creator, to promote their product or service.”
More specifics on X gambling content restrictions
The updated terms of X paid partnerships apply to “mentions or endorsements of products or services.”
The conditions include:
- The products or services are gifted by or on behalf of a brand.
- You receive compensation for promoting these products or services, either through monetary payments or in-kind contributions.
- These products or services generate a commission for you from sales, for instance, through affiliate links or discount codes.
- You have a commercial agreement involving these products or services, such as your role as a brand ambassador.
Alcoholic beverages and related accessories, dating and marriage services, financial products, health and wellness supplements, and tobacco products are some of the other sectors being impacted.
Potential penalties for violating X policy
Should a paid partnership post get flagged by X, an individual or business could be hit with one of several enforcement actions. The severity of the violation and an individual’s previous record of rule violations could impact the outcome.
The penalty could be as simple as requiring the gambling-related post be removed. It could also result in the individual’s account being switched to read-only mode for an undetermined amount of time. Subsequent violations could include an account suspension.
Crackdown on gambling content becoming a trend
X is not the first social media platform to announce stricter rules regarding gambling-related content. YouTube implemented a new policy in November that applies to content creators. Essentially, creators are no longer allowed to upload online gambling content with real-money value unless the sites are verified by Google.
Additionally, YouTube started age-restricting videos that feature online casino-style gameplay. The rule also applies to games that do not include real money.
