Google removed 270M+ gambling ads as policy tightens
Tech giant Google has released its 2025 Advertising Safety Report, revealing an unprecedented offensive against content that violates its global regulations. Over the past year, the company removed a total of 270.7 million ads related to the gambling sector, a figure that places this category as the eighth most affected by the platform's removal policies. In addition to definitive removals, another 123.9 million ads suffered visibility restrictions, making gambling the third segment with the highest volume of advertising limitations within the Google ecosystem.
These actions are part of a massive security deployment that resulted in the total removal of 8.3 billion ads and the suspension of nearly 25 million advertiser accounts worldwide. The magnitude of these figures responds to increasing pressure from international regulatory bodies demanding stricter control over digital advertising, especially in sensitive verticals such as betting and gambling.
Gemini artificial intelligence as the engine of preventive moderation
The effectiveness in detecting prohibited content has taken a qualitative leap thanks to the implementation of Gemini, Google's artificial intelligence system. As explained by Keerat Sharma, Vice President and General Manager of Privacy and Advertising Safety at the firm, these advanced models analyze hundreds of billions of signals in real time. The system not only evaluates keywords but also studies behavioral patterns, account age, and the deep intent of the ad to neutralize threats before they impact the end user.
This predictive analysis capability has allowed more than 99 percent of ads that violate policies to be blocked before publication. The company's current focus is on identifying sophisticated attempts to circumvent traditional filters, which poses a constant challenge against advertisers seeking to operate on the margins of legality or without the corresponding certifications in each jurisdiction.
Regulatory pressure in key markets such as Europe and Brazil
The report also highlights a tightening of rules in specific regions due to new expectations from policymakers. For example, Google Ireland introduced much stricter requirements for European advertisers in March 2026, warning that repeat offenders of gambling policy violations could permanently lose their certification. This stance reflects a global trend towards zero tolerance for platforms that do not guarantee a safe environment for the consumer.
On the American continent, the case of Brazil has gained special relevance. Brazilian authorities have formally requested detailed explanations from Google and Apple regarding the presence of unlicensed betting applications in their digital stores. This request for information demands transparency about internal control processes and enforcement measures to prevent the proliferation of illegal operators. As local markets advance in their own regulation, the challenge of supervising large-scale gambling advertising remains one of Google's most complex priorities in the short term.
Tags: United States, USA, Google Betting, Google betting advertising, META betting advertising