Effective Monday, the 17th, YouTube has implemented new global rules that significantly restrict online gambling content, marking a decisive shift toward protecting minors from digital harm.
These changes align with global regulatory movements, including expectations set by Brazil’s Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) and advertising guidelines from Conar, underscoring a cooperative industry effort to bolster safety and responsibility.
The most substantial change involves the expanded purview applied to online gambling and betting content. Videos containing any games of chance, whether involving real money or virtual goods like skins, NFTs, or other in-game cosmetic items, will now face restrictions if they reference websites that lack Google certification.
This policy extends its enforcement to video uploads, live streams, demonstrations, and even mere mentions of uncertified betting services. YouTube’s update is a direct response to the rapid surge in online gambling models that utilize digital goods, which have gained immense popularity, particularly among younger audiences.
Crucially, social casinos are now subject to similar blocking rules, even though they may not involve actual currency transactions. Content related to these platforms will be automatically age-restricted for users under 18 years of age.
In parallel with the new gambling rules, YouTube is also increasing control over graphic or psychologically intense scenes of realistic human violence in video game content, aiming to limit exposure for teenagers. Content creators are urged to proactively review their back catalogs, as older videos may be subject to takedown or reclassification if deemed unsuitable for minors.
While no immediate penalties will be applied during this transition, adherence to the new guidelines is expected. The new policy also explicitly targets and will cut off channels that link to or broadcast illegal betting, specifically addressing the issue of 24-hour live streams promoting unregulated, offshore betting sites.
These comprehensive restrictions position YouTube as a bellwether for a worldwide shift toward increased caution and regulation in the digital environment.
By targeting illegal online betting, ramping up supervision of digital gambling formats, and reducing exposure to violent content, YouTube reinforces its role in protecting the youngest viewer demographic and fostering a safer online ecology.
Daniel Fortune, a content producer of educational work in responsible betting:
SPA guidelines already prohibit minors from participation in betting activities; advertising standards require rigid age segregation. He adds that technical filters put in by platforms such as YouTube are not sufficient on their own; the education of bettors remains key for the reduction of risks.
João Fraga, the CEO of Paag:
Irresponsible advertising must be avoided, and he points out the necessity for solid protective mechanisms within the platforms for betting themselves. He believes that compliance goes further than mere visibility; operators must refine their responsible gaming tools, including self-exclusion, deposit limits, and behavioral analysis systems capable of detecting the early signs of problematic gambling.
Cristiano Costa, a psychologist and Chief Knowledge Officer at EBAC:
All advertising linked to betting should express that risk, not entertainment, is involved. Visible warnings of addiction, as there are for alcohol and tobacco, are necessary, he insists. Transparency needs to become a guiding principle in all industries that promote activities with financial risk or impulsive spending.
