YouTube rolls out stricter restrictions on online gambling content
YouTube is cracking down on its policies around gambling content as it has now launched an all-new major update.
The announcement first came at the beginning of March through a community post on YouTube Help, with it now having been implemented just a few weeks on.
The strengthening of the policies was brought in as part of ‘ongoing efforts to protect viewers from potentially harmful content.’ The changes were announced on the same day the company brought out a ‘guide to healthy screen habits for teens’ in collaboration with the American Psychological Association.
Although the company understands the update could impact those who create online gambling content like casino games and applications, they say the changes “are a necessary step in protecting our community, especially younger viewers.”
What has YouTube changed with its online gambling promotion restrictions?While existing policies have long meant any method of directing viewers to gambling sites or applications that are not certified by Google are banned, this now includes URLs, links embedded in images or text, visual displays (including logos) or verbal references.
The company states that content promising guaranteed returns “may be removed regardless of whether the online gambling site or application has been approved by Google.”
Even videos that don’t explicitly violate Community Guidelines but still include depictions or promotions of online casino sites or apps could now be age-restricted too.
This would now mean that online gambling content (excluding online sports betting and depictions of in-person gambling) can’t be viewable by users who are under 18 and even signed-out users too.
These measures are much more stringent regulations than what YouTube has previously allowed on the platform, with a focus being on protecting young people.
This also comes at a time when gambling in general appears to be at an all-time high. After the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that legalized sports betting, Americans have been found to have wagered almost $450 billion on sports.
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