Similar to other social media platforms restricting gambling ads, Google-owned video-sharing platform YouTube has announced stricter rules on gambling and gaming content as part of a broader effort to enforce its community guidelines.
Key Takeaways
- New restrictions on gambling-related videos begin Nov. 17.
- Age limits introduced for gambling-style gaming content.
- Older videos will be reviewed and potentially age-restricted or removed.
From Nov. 17, creators will no longer be allowed to upload online gambling content with real-money value unless the sites are verified by Google.
The company will also begin age-restricting videos that feature online casino-style gameplay, even when the games do not include real money. This measure aims to limit exposure to simulated gambling content among younger audiences.
The action will be taken alongside tighter oversight of violent gaming videos, with many types of video restricted to viewers aged 18 and older, and new rules around length and focus of violent gaming content to decide whether a video should be placed behind an age barrier.
YouTube said it will also apply the new rules retroactively to existing videos. However, creators will be given the option to edit or blur their content to comply with the updated standards.
The crackdown is partly a response to increasing scrutiny of gambling-focused content aimed at underage viewers or promoting unlicensed operators.
New York officials want more gambling intervention from operators
Meanwhile, in Albany, the New York State Gaming Commission has also taken aim at the gambling industry, raising concerns that current approaches to problem gambling are inadequate.
At a public hearing on mobile gambling, the New York State Gaming Commission’s executive director, Robert Williams, told lawmakers that intervention efforts should shift more responsibility to gambling operators, rather than relying solely on individuals to seek help.
“Earlier this year, when I addressed the New York Council on Problem Gambling's annual conference, I raised concern with the traditional approach to problem gambling intervention in the United States. We provide awareness of harms associated with problem gambling and improve access to services where somebody may find help. That's important, but is it enough?” he said.
Williams compared the concept to responsible alcohol service, suggesting that gaming operators should be required to monitor customer behavior and intervene when patterns suggest problem gambling. He cited a recent New Jersey proposal that would compel companies to flag and follow up on players who exceed certain spending or betting thresholds.
He also emphasized the data-rich nature of online gambling, which provided evidence that could be used by regulators and operators to identify concerning trends in real time, and questioned whether the industry has the willingness or the incentive to act on such data.
