Facebook and Instagram Ads Now Face Stricter Gambling Review

Meta is tightening its rules around gambling ads on Facebook and Instagram, rolling out a tougher approval process that all real-money gaming advertisers must now follow. The move affects everything from poker and sports betting to online casinos and influencer ads.

Good to know

• All gambling ads now need advanced verification in Meta Business Suite.
• Influencers must register as affiliates if they promote gambling ads directly.
• Ads targeting users under 18 remain completely banned.

If you want to run a gambling-related ad on Meta platforms, you now have to go through the “Permissions and Verifications” process. That means submitting official documents like valid gambling licenses, proof of legal compliance in each region where the ad will run, and business verification through Meta’s internal system.

Approval only covers specific ad accounts, and any new accounts or business pages will require separate reviews.

Free-play games still get a pass

Social casino games that do not involve real money or prizes are not affected by the updated policy. If your game is free to play and does not lead to actual gambling, you are in the clear.

** Meta now wants much more detailed proof from advertisers. That includes full company names, screenshots of websites, and lists of ad accounts. All documents have to be submitted in English, and every application will go through a manual review by Meta. Even after approval, companies should expect follow-up requests for more documents.

Influencers face new rules too

Meta has clarified how influencer promotions are handled under the new policy. If a gambling company simply tags or mentions a creator in their own ad, no extra approval is needed. But if the creator is promoting a gambling brand directly, they will have to register as an affiliate, get a contract in place, and go through Meta’s authorization process.

As part of its global effort to promote safer gambling advertising, Meta reaffirmed its ban on targeting anyone under the age of 18. This rule applies to all gambling content, including free-play social casinos.

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