iGaming Regulations in Advertising: Unlocking New Traffic Sources

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iGaming regulations seem to have become the main headache for operators and affiliates. While the industry is growing at scale, the restrictions for online marketing are getting more and more sophisticated. Where and how to run ads to maximize player deposits? A renowned expert and practitioner is now going to sort the regulated online gaming issue out.

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Mikhail Zhukov,
Head of CPM

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Why is legal compliance in iGaming important?

The iGaming infrastructure is expanding rapidly, embracing new operators, software providers, and players. Online gaming revenues will hit $136.3BN by 2029 with the average gross revenue stay at 6.20% to 6.47%. But this prediction may burst like a bubble if operators and advertisers fail to meet strict rules of customer protection along with iGaming laws. There are at least two reasons why legal compliance in iGaming is crucial for marketers.

How is iGaming is regulated: laws and legislative restrictions

The global situation with iGaming legal compliance becomes complicated while more and more countries adopt strict regulations for iGaming advertising. Coming after the Netherlands, Bulgaria has submitted a bill to prohibit various forms of online iGaming advertisements. The two most significant markets are making it harder for advertisers to promote their businesses.

Many advertising platforms and traffic sources have already implemented pre-moderation of ad creatives and landing pages, making it harder to deliver ad messages to a potential player.

Alternative traffic platforms like Adsterra can enrich your marketing with highly engaged players. Bypass restricted areas with hyper-local targeting and control spend with smart tools like CPA Goal.

Payment regulations

Another regulatory instrument affecting the iGaming industry is related to KYC procedures, orother ways to verify the user’s identity even with transfers with virtual currencies. Operators must perform KYC by:

• Verifying the player’s age
• Proving if identity documents are authentic. 
• Detecting risk factors like game addiction or affordability issues.

Complying with these regulations protects both operators and players. KYS helps maintain responsible iGaming business when operators can evaluate customers’ spending potential and prevent problems.

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My job today is to round up the principal iGaming regulations by region: Europe, the US, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. I won’t dive into licensing requirements, as Next, we’ll unlock the advantages of new traffic providers and compare regulations within one of the top platforms for the iGaming niche and its next rival.

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Global iGaming regulations (summary)

Canada

Canada mainly hadles regulations through its provinces. Each province can manage iGaming, as well as other activities like lotteties, gambling and betting. Most are handled under the Criminal Code. Ontario is the first province in Canada to establish a regulated, competitive iGaming market.

Legal status of iGaming in the EU

The European Union does not have a unified regulatory system or federal laws for online gaming and betting, leaving it up to individual member states to establish their laws. Legal status of online ads depends on national regulatory authorities and varies across countries. For example, France bans online gaming houses and daily fantasy sports, but allows sports games such as racing.

Operators prefer getting the Malta gaming license issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). The MGA is known as one of the most credible regulatory bodies. A Maltese license ensures the operator stays complant with requirements for consumer protection, transparent financial transactions, and fairness.

Australian regulatory frameworks

In Australia, offline and online gaming, including lotteries, are strictly regulated and subject to licensing. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) protects compliance, but licensing remains the main responsibility of each state or territory. The iGaming industry in Australia is now being challenged by high participation among youth, so the country is developing strict regulations for operators and ad platforms.

Latam iGaming regulations

Countries in Latin America are establishing licensing frameworks for online gaming, forming a new coalition, called the International Gaming Federation. We’ll hear about its initiatives in the near future. For now, each country forms its own regulatory framework.

Top-choice: Brazil is implementing a comprehensive regulatory framework for online sports games (incl. online betting) and gaming in 2025-2026. Despite massive delays in issuing licenses, many operators have been granted the right to operate in the country. Now, the sports industry attracts about 56M players (36% of the adult population), and the revenue gained from the iGaming activities within 6 months accounts at $3 billion.

Top-choice: Colombia is establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the industry, staying one of the friendliest zones for operators thanks to these principles:

• Fast market growth
• Welcoming taxes for operators
• Friendly licensing requirements
• Laws transparency with gradual changes

Asian responsible gaming measures

In Asia, iGaming regulations vary widely, with strict prohibitions in countries like China and South Korea, while the Philippines has a robust iGaming industry. Countries like China and the UAE have strict bans on online gambling, although some black markets exist. Japan has enacted regulations permitting the development of integrated resorts featuring casinos, but with stringent operational restrictions.

How is iGaming regulated in Africa?

Another promising yet quite free market is Africa. Here, 45 countries have legalized some forms of iGaming. Only several areas strictly ban all money games: Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. On some countries there are no regulations for online games, which makes them both an opportunity and a risky field.

Top-choice African countries to run iGaming campaigns: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana.

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I will now picture a more detailed portrait of each continent with more specifics for marketers willing to enter the iGaming market.

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Europe’s legislation in advertising of gaming and sports

The European region provides the most transparent legislation for iGaming advertising. The laws were issued a long time ago, but some details are emphasized every year. For instance, Italy has gone through several legal transformations of the regulatory landscape: it still prohibits online advertising, but also limits the number of sports actors who accept odds and pays out rewards.

Country	Regulatory status	Essence of regulation	Permissions required
Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom	Allowed with restrictions	Ads must be targeted at audiences older than 18. Creatives must not contain intentionally false information about winning or any such guarantees. All advertising assets must be moderated before launch. A landing page may mention the athletic discipline without indicating any particular club or player as long as they’re not affiliated with the operator.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Germany	Allowed with restrictions	German iGaming advertising policy require a license for promoting gaming and sports offers	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Bulgaria	Allowed with heavy restrictions	Bulgaria accepted a broad ban on iGaming advertising except for state lotteries. In 2025, the situation changed for the better for licensed operators, mainly in Sports vertical.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns. Targeted ads are permitted in some contexts

A roundup of iGaming regulations in Latin America

The Latin American approach to regulation inherits European experiences. In December 2023, they started introducing more comprehensive restrictions and rules for iGaming advertising. 

Such regulations will bring stability, transparency, and a deeper understanding of the rules. Moreover, we still have more opportunities to use various ad messages and creatives. The landing page content is also regulated less strictly if compared to Europe.

Country	Regulatory status	Essence of regulation	Permissions required
Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama	Allowed with restrictions	Ads must be targeted at audiences older than 18. Creatives must not contain intentionally false information about winning or any such guarantees. All advertising assets must be moderated before launch.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Peru	Forbidden
Mexico	Allowed with restrictions	Advertisers or operators must integrate warnings in advertisements and landing pages urging that games of chance are not intended for non-adults (e.g., “prohibido para menores”) and that gaming should be done responsibly (e.g., “juega responsablemente”).	Advertisers who confirm that their landing pages are managed by an operator registered with the Secretaria de Gobernacion and provide a valid license number or confirm that their landing pages are managed by Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública and provide a copy of a valid contract stating that the company is an agency (comisionista) or advertising partner (socio promocional) are allowed to advertise on Google.

A roundup of iGaming regulations in Asia

If compared with the previous regions, Asia remains more conservative when it comes to promoting online gaming. Giant traffic platforms like Google and Meta are not likely to let you launch an ad campaign, even if you have an offer with a license (not regional).

So, the advice is to resort to alternative traffic sources, such as non-mainstream ad networks with huge traffic volumes. If you ask me whether Asian countries will become more flexible regarding iGaming, I’d say that probably not. Asian laws are pretty rigid about gaming, and it may take time to issue new regulatory mechanisms.

Country	Regulatory status	Essence of regulation	Permissions required
India	Allowed with restrictions	It is prohibited to run advertisements in the following states: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, and Telangana. Rummy can be advertised in India if the ads don’t mention other types of iGaming activities. You’re not allowed to target rummy ads to audiences from the following states: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, and Telangana.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Indonesia	Forbidden
Japan	Forbidden except for state lotteries	It is allowed to promote state-controlled iGaming activities (e.g., various types of racing: car, boat, motorcycle, etc.) Organizers may only announce these events but not promote related online gaming.	Forbidden
South Korea	Allowed with heavy restrictions	Content with games of chance is prohibited. Advertising of iGaming is allowed if it meets the requirements for the audience’s age and complies with restrictions for ad creatives and copy.	You must apply for Meta permission to run ad campaigns. YouTube and KakaoTalk ads are also popular
Malaysia	Forbidden
The Philippines	Allowed with restrictions	Promoting online gaming platforms is allowed if ads comply with requirements. Sports-related games are prohibited.	It is likely that Meta and Google will prohibit all types of iGaming ads soon.
Taiwan	Forbidden
Thailand	Allowed with heavy restrictions	Only organizations managed by the government can run ads promoting state lotteries and sports races while they follow consumer protection rules.	It’s possible to advertise specific forms of lucky draws on Facebook, but iGaming ads are not allowed on Meta & Google
Turkey	Allowed with restrictions		You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Vietnam	Forbidden	iGaming is subject to a strict legal stance and remains illegal in all its forms except for social gaming.	Google Ads (only social games)

How is iGaming regulated in the US?

Is iGaming legal in the US? Officially, gaming activities are regulated at 2 levels: federal governments and local laws. One of the most significant documents is the Federal Wire Act, which has an interstate power. As for states, only seven of them allow iGaming and sports predictions:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• West Virginia (except for classic-style themes like dice or roulette)

States that legalized all forms of online gaming and sports predictions. However, this doesn’t mean that other states prohibit such activities entirely. The rest may put hard restrictions on, say, online games of chance like they do in Florida. California has banned Sweepstakes with dual currency systems (they usually mimic to giveaways). But some forms of gaming like social casinos or fantasy sports are still hard to be framed within the regulatory frameworks.

Overall, all legislative initiatives are implemented by the state government and federal laws. Each state regulates what type of gaming is allowed, how to obtain licenses, who is allowed to play, and how iGaming providers can communicate with their audience. When you enter the US market, look deeper at the local legislation, since gaming age and other specifics can vary, and you can easily violate state laws by mistake.

General rules for iGaming promotion in the US

Each state applies its own regulations of advertising. For instance, the New York regulatory bodies had to respond to soaring concerns over gaming addiction. The legislation, S1550/A1118, mandates that all advertisements, including mobile ones, must include warnings about the potentially harmful and addictive effects. And in the future, we’ll surely witness even more clarifications. But let’s focus on standard requirements for marketers:

1. You can’t target iGaming offers at audiences under the age of 21 in sports predictions, online gaming and similar activities.
2. Advertisements mustn’t include celebs and other authoritative people from the sports pool: coaches, players, league managers, etc.
3. Ads can’t be misleading or deliberately deceptive.
4. Responsible gaming: every ad should include a problem-gaming hotline phone number.

In general, even if you’re fully allowed to advertise gaming houses (like in Nevada) your ad message must be tactful, not pushy, and respectful in order to inform rather than put pressure on your audience.

The US iGaming regulatory institutions

Over 20 US iGaming regulators are in charge of responsible business locally. Let’s list the most important ones for advertisers who want to market their offline and online businesses in a particular state.

1. Arizona Department of Gaming – https://gaming.az.gov/
2. California Gambling Control Commission – http://www.cgcc.ca.gov/
3. Michigan Gaming Control Board – https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb
4. Nevada Gaming Control Board/Gaming Commission – https://gaming.nv.gov/

iGaming regulations in African countries

African countries are still not subject to substantial restrictions. Usually, ad platforms show minor requirements for creatives, such as ‘do not use explicit adult content,’ ‘target the age category 18+,’ and ‘do not use images of famous footballers unless affiliated with the operator or a team that the operator sponsors.’

The rules slightly differ in North African countries, where there are some conservative factors to consider. However, these regulations are more likely to restrict ad campaigns of gaming houses while sporting ads remain partially untouched.

Country	Regulatory status	Essence of regulation	Permissions required
Egypt	Forbidden	Limitations mainly apply to content related to online gaming platforms. Sports ads are not mentioned, but they will most likely not be allowed to launch either.
Ethiopia	Allowed with restrictions	There are no precise limitations on targeting or creatives.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns. Ads won’t be allowed if an operator is not licensed under one of the jurisdictions.
Ghana	Allowed with restrictions	There are no precise limitations on targeting or creatives.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Kenya	Allowed with restrictions	All ads must be approved and include age limitations;  no influencer marketing.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Morocco	Forbidden	It is forbidden to promote online gaming platforms. There are no precise limitations for sporting offers.
Mozambique	Allowed with restrictions		You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Nigeria	Allowed with restrictions	After the nationwide ban (Jan 2025) Nigeria has softened its regulations, and now ad platforms approve ads, specifically for operators who have licenses in the Lagos State.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns for the Lagos State
South Africa	Allowed with restrictions	There are no precise limitations on targeting or creatives.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns
Uganda	Allowed with restrictions	Operators must include a warning in the landing pages that iGaming activities can lead to addiction and damage mental health.	You must apply for Google/Meta permission to run ad campaigns

Summary of the core aspects of iGaming legal compliance in advertising

Let’s summarize the iGaming regulations mentioned above. As you might have noticed, advertisers must pass the verification and get a special permission by Meta of Google to run ads. 

Another fundamental aspect of a successful campaign start is to include evidence demonstrating licensing or lawful iGaming activity in targeted territories.

Advertising creatives are subject to verification, as well. In most cases, you’re not allowed to guarantee winning or call up for “entering the game.” Many platforms prohibit using photos of sports players or celebrities unless they’ve signed up a contract with an operator.

The next vital part of an online campaign is the advertising format. Here, we’re facing some regulations again. For example, Google blocks the following ad formats when you advertise iGaming offers:

• Gmail ads
• Product advertisements
• Reserved media placements
• User ratings

Alternative traffic sources for iGaming operators and affiliates

Non-mainstream advertising network allows you to promote your iGaming products on thousands of websites whose owners have permitted such ads.

Along with stable traffic volumes, such networks offer a wide range of ad formats that you can modify to fit your message.

Why do non-mainstream traffic providers usually not put severe limitations on iGaming ads? To begin with, they deal with direct publishers who agree to display such creatives. Second, all creatives and landing pages are pre-moderated manually, which is not feasible on giant platforms. As an outcome, advertisers can access the same audiences, staying compliant and avoiding severe penalties.

Let’s walk through the key advantages of ad networks with a high reputation.

A non-mainstream advertising network allows you to promote your iGaming products on thousands of websites whose owners have permitted such ads.

Advantages of non-mainstream advertising networks

1. Campaigns get verified faster.
2.  Access to assets with creatives.
3. Vertical-specific, expert advice: apply for competitive rates, get advice on the best-performing creatives, and ask for an assessment of your bid strategy.
4. An opportunity to launch managed campaigns if you represent a brand or agency.
5. Almost no rules for creatives except for general restrictions: misleading ads, ads exposing violence, etc.
6. High volumes of relevant traffic.
7. A variety of advertising formats that don’t limit you by verticals/offers.
8. A large amount of niche traffic with high CR and CTR.
9. Most-used payment systems.
10. In-built stats reports.
11. Cost-optimization tools and fast whitelising.
12. Location targeting settings to avoid regulated areas.

Summing up, an ad network is a large-scale and high-quality source of traffic, which will allow you to increase ROI with fewer requirements to an offer.

Disadvantages of non-mainstream ad networks

1. Limited targeting options. You may not get all the opportunities to target user preferences or retarget to look-alike audiences.
2. Pricing models may not fit your initial goals: for instance, Adsterra recommends buying CPM traffic if you target player deposits.
3. Lower traffic volumes in specific targeting zones such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, etc.
4. A limited set of payment systems: you will usually choose from bank transfers, card payments, and a few more.
5. It is necessary to set up a customized conversion tracker; Google Analytics will usually not work.

It is possible to cope with all of the above disadvantages. But it’s very important to ensure your partner network supports responsible marketing. Here’s what I recommend to check first:

How to check the ad network’s credibility

1. Official user ratings and feedback left on forums
2. Reviews by top influencers
3. Terms and conditions (usually, they’re available on the website; if not, it’s a red flag)
4. Response time (availability of customer support and overall expertise)
5. Official network’s media kits
6. Blog articles, including product guides for setting up a campaign
7. Expert articles in trusted media
8. Help center or knowledge base
9. Payment systems
10. Signup terms (if they ask for a paid login, it’s a red flag)
11. Advertising formats available
12. Refund policy (usually, laid out in official terms and conditions)
13. Possibilities to reach out to a pro manager, as well as to assets (creatives and pre-landers)

TikTok VS ad networks: Comparing iGaming regulations

Traffic sources power the advertising infrastructure, and you can’t ignore mega-platforms like TikTok. Affiliates use TikTok to promote affiliate links, drive traffic to sponsored products, or grow brand loyalty (brand ambassadorship). However, boosting traffic to an iGaming offer is particularly hard here.

Let’s check how TikTok’s terms differ from those on non-mainstream ad networks:

Regions	TikTok	Ad Network
The EU	Ads are partially allowed in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the UK, Czechia, Romania	Allowed
Latam	Forbidden	Allowed
Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Pakistan	Forbidden in: Bahrain, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Pakistan	Allowed
North-East Asia	Partially allowed, but creatives are restricted. Campaigns must target only the audience over 18 years old. Advertising must not call to win a prize or guarantee cash rewards.	Allowed
South-East Asia	Forbidden	Allowed
Australia and New Zealand	Partly allowed	Allowed

All major platforms, including TikTok, have applied almost equivalent measures. We expect more regulations as they appear in local legislation, specifically in Tier-3 countries.

Alternatively, traffic sources like ad networks have managed to stay flexible regarding iGaming campaigns. While considering major regulatory rules, ad networks still provide more freedom in setting up marketing campaigns and targeting. 

Trends in iGaming regulations

New verticals

The iGaming industry will soon reach new heights in audience coverage, embracing new activities like eSports, which will invest in gross gaming revenue percentage. We will also witness new regulations in this field, icluding rules for obtaining licenses. With so many passionate e-players and fans in the US, Asia, and Latin America, there should be a legislative regulation for advertising to make this area safe and transparent for all participants.

More regulations and more opportunities

New regulations will soon come into force across countries of all tiers, affecting mainstream advertising platforms. Non-mainstream ad networks may become one of the powerful traffic sources in this situation.

African and Asian countries that formerly legalized iGaming will develop severe penalties for operators who violate federal and state laws. Indian gaming regulatory act which is a government law has already banned all types of online money games.

After granting the first lottery license, the UAE will carry on forming a versatile and promising landscape with regulated online gaming and sports market.

Payment regulations

Deposit limits come as one of the most obvious regulatory enforcement. Both federal and state laws will limit the number of daily bids from one player, as well as the deposit amounts. Gaming income taxes will raise across countries. Tax dollars will be used for rehabilitation purposes.

KYC and other consumer protection measures will become mainstream for both operators and advertising networks.

Responsible advertising

Ad networks will invest in developing powerful tools to detect ad fraud traffic, providing more guarantees for advertisers.

AI-awareness

Another trend is AI, of course. I believe many governments and ad platforms will need to control AI-generated content, especially if it involves celebrities. Deep fakes must be penalized as they mislead players and harm brand reputation.

UGC transparency

We expect more transparency in UGC (user-generated content) for iGaming products. Ad platforms will have to develop sophisticated rules that influencers and bloggers should comply with. These rules will cover far more than just ensuring your operator is licensed under the official jurisdiction.

Resources to look deeper

The iGaming compliance issue will arise regularly as you promote offers in several regions. Over the last 2 years, the legislative landscape has been reshaped dramatically. But you can save this list of international and local official institutions that provide updated information and administration bills.

1. International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) – www.iagr.org
2. European Gaming Association (EGBA) – https://www.egba.eu/
3. UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk
4. The Gambling Act (2005) – controls all types of gaming, incluging iGaming, across England, Wales, and Scotland. – https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/contents
5. American Gaming Association (AGA): www.americangaming.org
6. Gibraltar Gambling Commission (GGC) – https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/finance-gaming-and-regulations/
7. Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission – www.gamblingcommission.im
8. Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau – https://www.gov.mo/en/entity-page/entity-322/
9. Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV) – https://www.dswv.de/ 
10. Canadian Gaming Association – www.canadiangaming.ca
11. Macau Gambling Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) – https://www.gov.mo/en/entity-page/entity-322/ 
12. Gambling Regulatory Authority: Singapore – https://www.gra.gov.sg/
13. ACT Gambling and Racing Commission: Australia – https://www.gamblingandracing.act.gov.au/
14. Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli / ADM or Agency of Customs and Monopolies (Italy) – https://www.adm.gov.it/
15. The Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling – http://dkh.minfin.bg/
16. Oficiul National pentru Jocuri de Noroc (Romania) – https://onjn.gov.ro/
17. California’s Legislative Information (includes the latest updates on legalized iGaming activities) – https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/

Best sources to check iGaming regulations news & updates

Apart from official organizations and regulators, the media provide exhaustive information about the latest government solutions. News sources regularly update official statements as well as share opinions and forecast made by top market players.

1. iGamingRegulation – https://www.gamingregulation.com/
2. IGB Affiliate – https://www.igbaffiliate.com/
3. iGamingFuture – https://igamingfuture.com/
4. GGB Magazine – https://ggbmagazine.com/
5. Focus Gaming News – https://focusgn.com/
6. iGamingBusiness – https://igamingbusiness.com/
7. InterGame Online https://www.intergameonline.com/
8. EuropeanGaming – https://europeangaming.eu/portal/
9. Gaming Intelligence – https://www.gamingintelligence.com/

iGaming legal compliance FAQs