Google expands sports betting ads to UK and Brazil on TV Masthead

Google announced on October 28, 2025, an expansion of advertising opportunities on its Google TV Masthead platform for sports betting operators in the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) and Brazil. According to the company's Masthead format requirements documentation, the policy change will take effect on November 13, 2025.

The update permits advertisements related to sports betting, including Daily Fantasy Sports, to appear on the Google TV Masthead in these two markets, provided advertisers comply with the related Gambling and games policy. This marks a significant expansion from the platform's previous restrictions on gambling-related content in its premium advertising placement.

Technical specifications remain unchanged

Google TV Masthead advertisements occupy the first slot of the feature carousel when users turn on or return to the home screen of their Google TV devices. The format has historically maintained stricter content requirements compared to other Google advertising surfaces due to its prominent placement and visibility.

According to the Masthead format requirements, image assets must meet specific technical standards: no pixelation, PNG or 72dpi format, and 16:9 aspect ratio. Video assets face more demanding criteria: minimum resolution of 1080p, no pixelation, and 16:9 aspect ratio.

The policy documentation states that "masthead ads are the most prominent Google advertising placement available to advertisers." To ensure high-quality consumer experience, masthead ads must comply with Google Ads policies, ad requirements for YouTube and Discover Feed, and additional format-specific requirements.

Prohibited content categories persist

Despite the expansion for sports betting content, Google TV Masthead maintains prohibitions on several categories. According to the policy documents, alcohol-related assets that depict or reference alcohol content remain forbidden. Healthcare and medicines content, including pharmaceutical products, cannot appear in the masthead format.

Consumer electronics advertisements depicting televisions, TV operating systems, phones, or similar products continue to face restrictions. The policy explicitly prohibits assets that depict or reference consumer electronics in this category.

The gambling restrictions still apply to most forms of gambling content. According to the Gambling and games policy, assets that depict or reference gambling-related content, including offline gambling, online gambling, online non-casino games, and social casino games generally remain prohibited, with exceptions now carved out for sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports in the United States, United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland), and Brazil.

Certification requirements for advertisers

Operators seeking to advertise sports betting or Daily Fantasy Sports content on Google TV Masthead must obtain certification through Google's established application process. According to the Gambling and games policy documentation, advertisers must apply for certification from Google to run gambling-related advertisements.

The certification process requires advertisers to demonstrate compliance with local gambling laws and industry standards. For the United Kingdom, operators of sports betting must be registered with the Gambling Commission and maintain a valid operating license number. In Brazil, advertisers must demonstrate authorization from Brazilian gambling authorities and hold appropriate licensing.

According to the policy, advertisers "must maintain any license, authorization, registration or similar required under this policy for as long as the advertiser remains certified by us and must notify us immediately if any of the above expire or is suspended or terminated." Serving gambling advertisements without valid certification may result in account suspension.

Responsible gambling mandates

All gambling and games-related advertisements on Google's platforms must adhere to consumer protection requirements. According to the policy documentation, advertisements must "only target approved countries, have a landing page that displays information about responsible gambling and never target minors."

The definition of gambling under Google's policy encompasses "staking something of value on the outcome of events or processes determined by an element of chance with the opportunity to win something of value." This definition guides enforcement across all gambling advertising categories.

Google maintains strict enforcement standards for policy violations. The company states it considers violations of gambling policies "egregious" and implements immediate account suspension upon detection without prior warning for certain infractions.

Ad format restrictions remain for some content

While Google TV Masthead now permits sports betting in these specific markets, certain advertising formats continue to exclude gambling content in other jurisdictions. According to the policy documentation, Gmail ads, Shopping ads, and Reservation display ads cannot promote gambling content across the board.

The policy specifies that Google TV masthead ads outside the United States generally cannot feature gambling content, with the November 13 update creating exceptions for the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) and Brazil specifically for sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports.

Alignment with broader platform policies

The November 2025 update brings Google TV Masthead requirements closer to YouTube Masthead policies. According to the Masthead format requirements, YouTube Masthead prohibits gambling content with explicit exceptions for sports betting "provided they meet the requirements set out in the Gambling and games policy."

Similarly, "Assets related to Daily Fantasy Sports targeting Canada, India and The United States" receive permission under YouTube Masthead policies when compliance requirements are met. The expansion to Google TV Masthead in the UK and Brazil represents continued alignment across Google's premium advertising inventory.

Google introduced sports betting advertising to Google TV Masthead in the United States on April 30, 2025, marking the initial opening of this premium placement to gambling-related content. That policy change, announced on April 14, 2025, established the framework for subsequent geographic expansions.

Market context for policy expansion

The gambling advertising landscape has undergone substantial transformation across Google's platform throughout 2024 and 2025. Multiple jurisdictions have seen policy adjustments as regulatory frameworks evolved and Google adapted its certification requirements accordingly.

Brazil experienced major gambling advertising policy changes in September 2024, when Google aligned its policies with new regulatory requirements from the Brazilian Ministry of Finance. Those changes, effective September 30, 2024, required operators to demonstrate authorization requests and obtain Google certification while prohibiting gambling aggregators entirely.

The United Kingdom has maintained one of the world's most developed regulatory frameworks for gambling advertising. The Gambling Act 2005 established the foundation for current oversight by the Gambling Commission, which works alongside the Advertising Standards Authority to enforce strict guidelines for gambling advertisements.

Google updated UK gambling policies in October 2024 to permit raffles, free draws, and prize draws from operators registered with the UK Fundraising Regulator or Scottish Charity Register. That expansion demonstrated the platform's willingness to adapt policies as regulatory clarity emerged for specific gambling-adjacent activities.

Implications for digital advertisers

The November 13 expansion creates new opportunities for licensed sports betting operators to reach audiences through connected television advertising in two significant markets. Google TV represents a growing platform for streaming content, with the masthead placement offering guaranteed visibility to users upon device activation.

According to Google's product documentation, Google TV allows users to stream television shows, movies, and other video content from various streaming applications and services. The masthead format capitalizes on this first-screen visibility, occupying premium real estate in the user interface.

Advertisers must navigate complex compliance requirements spanning multiple regulatory frameworks. Material changes to licensure, business operations, or other factors affecting certification status require immediate recertification. Failure to maintain current certification can result in immediate suspension without prior warning.

The certification process requires submission through Google's online gambling application form in the Google Ads Help Center. To prevent unnecessary delays, the documentation advises providing all requested information completely. Advertisers targeting multiple countries must submit separate application forms for each jurisdiction.

Policy enforcement and account management

Google implements automated review systems combined with human evaluation to assess gambling certification applications. These systems evaluate compliance with both local regulations and platform-specific policies, creating a dual-layer framework for advertisement approval.

For advertisers with existing gambling certifications in other markets, the UK and Brazil expansion may require additional certification applications specific to these jurisdictions. An account may be certified for either online gambling or social casino games content, but not both simultaneously. Advertisers seeking to promote both categories must maintain separate accounts.

The policy documentation emphasizes that disapproved masthead assets may continue running on Google's other owned and operated properties even when restricted from the masthead placement. The masthead format requirements "may be more restrictive than the ad requirements for other platforms and surfaces."

Looking ahead

The November 13 implementation date provides operators with approximately two weeks from the October 28 announcement to prepare creative assets and secure necessary certifications. This timeline mirrors previous Google TV Masthead policy updates, which have typically provided similar preparation windows.

The expansion to United Kingdom and Brazil markets follows established patterns in Google's approach to gambling advertising. The company has progressively opened advertising opportunities in jurisdictions with developed regulatory frameworks while maintaining strict certification and compliance requirements.

Whether Google will extend similar permissions to additional markets remains uncertain. The current update specifically excludes Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom expansion, reflecting the distinct regulatory environment in that territory. Each market expansion requires evaluation of local regulatory frameworks and alignment with platform-wide policies.

The policy change arrives as connected television advertising continues gaining prominence in digital marketing strategies. Access to premium placements like Google TV Masthead provides sports betting operators with opportunities to reach engaged audiences in living room environments where viewing behavior differs from mobile or desktop contexts.

Timeline

• July 7, 2021: Google introduces specific YouTube masthead content requirements, prohibiting gambling, prescription drugs, elections, and alcohol
• April 14, 2025: Google announces sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports will be allowed on Google TV Masthead in United States
• April 30, 2025: Sports betting advertising launches on Google TV Masthead in United States
• August 15, 2025: Google begins accepting sports betting ads in Missouri
• August 25, 2025: Google temporarily pauses gambling certification applications for Australia
• September 30, 2025: Google updates YouTube and Discover ad requirements for clarity
• October 28, 2025: Google announces Google TV Masthead expansion for UK and Brazil
• November 13, 2025: Sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports ads permitted on Google TV Masthead in UK (excluding Northern Ireland) and Brazil

Summary

Who: Google announced the policy change affecting sports betting advertisers, Daily Fantasy Sports operators, and licensed gambling companies seeking to advertise in the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) and Brazil.

What: The Google TV Masthead format requirements will be updated to allow advertisements related to sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports in two new markets, provided advertisers comply with the Gambling and games policy. The update removes previous prohibitions on gambling content for these specific categories in these specific markets while maintaining other content restrictions.

When: Google announced the policy change on October 28, 2025, with implementation scheduled for November 13, 2025, providing approximately 16 days between announcement and enforcement.

Where: The policy change applies to Google TV Masthead advertising in the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) and Brazil. Google TV Masthead represents the first slot of the feature carousel visible when users turn on or return to the home screen of their Google TV devices in these territories.

Why: The expansion aligns Google TV Masthead requirements more closely with YouTube Masthead policies, which already permit sports betting advertisements in certain markets. The change responds to developed regulatory frameworks in these jurisdictions and creates new advertising opportunities for certified operators while maintaining strict compliance requirements including local licensing, responsible gambling information display, and prohibition on targeting minors.