YouTube Enforces Stricter Rules on Gambling Content

YouTube has announced a crackdown on content promoting unapproved gambling websites as online betting continues to expand in the United States.

The platform revealed on Tuesday that it will now prohibit creators from directing viewers to gambling sites that have not been reviewed by YouTube or Google or fail to meet local legal requirements. The restriction applies to links, images, text, logos, and verbal references in videos.

The update builds upon YouTube’s existing policies, which already ban linking to external sites that violate its guidelines, including unregulated gambling platforms.

“We’ve strengthened our policies that prohibit content directing viewers to unapproved gambling websites or applications,” YouTube spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle told CNN ahead of the announcement. “We will also begin age-restricting content that promotes online casinos.”

Under the new rules, users under 18 and those who are not logged in will be unable to view content that depicts or promotes online betting sites.

Gambling Boom Raises Concerns

The move comes amid a surge in online sports betting, which has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry since the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports gambling in 2018. Other forms of online betting, including wagering on election outcomes, have also gained popularity.

Videos promising strategies to make money from online sports betting and prediction markets have amassed hundreds of thousands of views. However, experts have raised concerns about the rising risk of gambling addiction in the U.S., with millions of Americans potentially facing severe gambling-related issues.

Tighter Content Moderation on YouTube

YouTube has long prohibited videos that use sensational language to guarantee winnings or loss recovery from gambling. With this policy update, even content promoting approved gambling sites with promises of guaranteed returns will now be removed.

This latest adjustment is part of YouTube’s ongoing efforts to moderate content on its platform. The company has previously taken action against videos spreading misinformation about vaccines and abortion and those promoting harmful behaviors like extreme calorie restriction associated with eating disorders. In 2023, it also introduced disclosure requirements for AI-generated content that could mislead viewers.

While platforms like YouTube frequently introduce content moderation rules, enforcing them effectively has often been a challenge, with tech giants facing criticism for inconsistent policy enforcement.

YouTube’s updated gambling content policy will take effect on March 19, with enforcement beginning immediately after.