Significant changes are coming to YouTube that could directly impact sports-driven content and the sports media at large.
Earlier this week, the platform announced a crackdown on gambling-related content, tightening its policies to limit exposure to unapproved betting services. Under the new rules, which won’t go into effect until later this month, creators will be prohibited from verbally mentioning gambling platforms that aren’t approved by Google and displaying their logos or linking to their sites in videos.
Unlike YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) does not have a similar blanket policy on gambling content. However, the Elon Musk-owned platform does flag undisclosed gambling ads in its Community Notes. For example, posts fishing for engagement while covertly promoting the online gambling service Stake — evident from the watermark of an Australian-Curaçaoan online casino — violate X’s Terms of Service on gambling-related promotions.
It certainly appears that YouTube intends to be stricter with its new guidelines, which will take effect on March 19.
While YouTube’s announcement didn’t single out specific gambling platforms like Stake in the announcement, this policy only furthers Google’s crackdown approach to better online promotions. If you find yourself on the platform’s support page and venture into the help center, Google notes that it only allows links to gambling ads that “meet local legal requirements.” And if you want to link to or promote an online gambling site, the domain has to be certified by Google Ads or reviewed by YouTube.
Another part of YouTube’s announcement is that the platform will introduce stricter age restrictions on gambling-related videos. So, viewers under 18 or those not signed into YouTube will not be able to access the videos.
That said, YouTube has clarified that content featuring online sports betting and in-person gambling will be exempt from these restrictions.
“We know this update may impact creators who focus on online gambling content like casino games and applications, but we believe these changes are a necessary step in protecting our community, especially younger viewers,” YouTube said in Monday’s announcement. “YouTube is committed to supporting creators while ensuring a safe and responsible platform for everyone.”
With these new restrictions set to go into effect two weeks from the writing of this article, YouTube has signaled that when it comes to gambling content on its platform, the house — not the creators — sets the rules of engagement.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.