Key Moments:
- Google Ads will ban gambling-promoting content targeting Croatia from 7 October 2026
- Existing certifications for affiliate and aggregator advertisers will be revoked on 7 October 2026
- Direct promotion of licensed operators’ own gambling products remains permitted under current policy
Policy Update Targets Affiliate and Aggregator Sites
Google Ads has announced it will prohibit the promotion of gambling-promoting content aimed at the Croatian market, starting on 7 October 2026. This applies specifically to affiliates and aggregator sites, rather than operators advertising their own products. Google will revoke all existing certifications for these third-party advertisers on the same date and discontinue accepting further certification requests. The policy change was posted on 9 September.
Clarification on Affected Advertising Categories
The update references Google’s main gambling and games policy for definitions, classifying gambling-promoting content as that which encourages engagement in gambling activities or requires local legal authorization. The only certified category in this bracket is aggregator or affiliate sites providing information or comparisons for gambling services. Such sites must not offer gambling activities themselves, nor link to their owned services, and may only promote services licensed in the target country.
This move does not affect online gambling operators who are promoting their own products. Croatia’s regulations, as referenced in Google’s country table, permit advertising of casino games and betting by operators licensed by Croatian authorities, while lotteries and bingo remain restricted to the state operator Hrvatska Lutrija, provided all certification requirements are met.
National Legislation Overlaps with Google Restrictions
These changes from Google build upon Croatia’s national rules, which implemented new advertising restrictions by 1 January 2026 following amendments to the Croatian Gambling Act published in April 2025. The law prevents electronic publications from hosting content with links to gambling operators’ websites. All operators were required to comply with enhanced advertising frameworks by the start of 2026.
| Media Channel | Restriction |
|---|---|
| Online, Audiovisual & Radio | No gambling ads between 06:00 and 23:00 |
| Total ban on advertising | |
| Publicly Visible Surfaces | Advertising banned |
| Bonuses & Incentives | May be promoted only on operators’ own websites; low-risk lottery games exempt |
| Celebrities & Influencers | Celebrities and media figures may not appear in gambling ads; social media creators cannot promote or livestream gambling |
| Sponsorship | Permitted but restricted to company name, logo, and service marks |
Implications for Advertising in Croatia
After 7 October 2026, information and comparison sites will lose access to paid search and display campaigns in Croatia, with only organic channels, direct visits, and possible direct operator partnerships remaining. Operators themselves will retain the ability to advertise through paid media, so long as they comply with national time and content guidelines.
This platform adjustment forms part of broader efforts by Google to tighten enforcement; from 14 September 2026, a “good policy health” standard across the gambling and games category resulted in certification being restricted for accounts with repeated violations or revoked certificates.
- Author
Daniel Williams
