Adsense and gambling/casino keywords

Hello,

I know google adsense has a restriction on gambling or casino-related content. I am working up a content site for free casino and lottery style games that pay out in checks or merchandise, sponsored by advertisers.

As long as I use the word 'free', am I okay? Should I specifically exclude the word 'gambling' or 'casino' or is it enough to make sure they are prefaced or in content that makes it clear they are free to play?

I may be able to put some content or ads on some of the gamepages. (They are run by others; I am trying to drive traffic and get rev through ads from content explaining the sites) Would this violate TOS?

I am most worried about the phrase 'casino-related'. If one were to sell Poker playing cards, would they be in trouble? What about free casinos? I fully expect visitors to be advertised to for true gambling casinos, but that would be done off my own site, probably via pop-up or text ads. I haven't played myself yet, so I do not know if there would be ads on page for paid casinos; I have work to do, and... well, I'm sure we've all been there before. I rediscovered Asteroids for the better part of a slow day about a week ago...

I would appreciate any input.

Thanks,
Lawrence

 

If you have any links to online casinos, you'll be dead.

I manage advertising for a football & baseball handicapping site and contacted Google after the TOS was changed to reflect the restriction of gambling and casino-related content

I fought a very minor battle with them, which I eventually lost, pleading my case that all the site was providing was game match-ups -- although slighted to the sports gambler -- and had absolutely no links to online casinos or sportsbooks and our content could just as easily be attractive to fantasy football players as well.

They were polite about the situation and easy to work with - I even had a couple phone conversations with them. And they left the door open to future refinement of the Gambling restrictions - which I doubt though.

Hope that helps. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about it.

 

I am actually very curious about this as well. I am currently writing content for a poker tips website. I have been very conscious in my content writing to NOT mention money, casinos, or gambiling at all. I haven't attempted to get this site approved yet but I am curious about what sort of things I might run into in the process. Being that I am not promoting gambling and merely providing tips for a game, I am looking for opinions about whether I might get approved or not and tips that might aid in doing so. I know of at least one poker related site that is running google ads so it isn't IMPOSSIBLE to get approved, I am just wonder how hard it is.

 

What poker site do you know that is still running Adsense?
pplayer.com (a weblogs, inc. site) and betfest.com both had their ads blocked.

That was my main argument with Google as well.

Personally, I think Google's restriction on gambling content is a side effect of the government's crackdown on Banks and Credit Card companies who were directly involved in the wire transfer to off-shore casinos. PayPal also shut down a couple sports handicapping sites for selling "gambling related" and there will likely be further crackdowns once football season rolls around.

Although I hope that it isn't, the whole poker scene could be a casualty as well. However it could also be the thing that gets Google to re-examine the Gambling-Related "gray area."

 

http://www.denverpokertour.com , although I am sure it is not alone.

I find it really strange that google would allow adwords to be sold that pay per click for gambling related topics/products and yet would block sites that focus on those keywords. Espicially something like poker that is HUGE now. As an advertiser I wouldn't like googles policy regarding that.

 

Well, I put the main page content up in a readable mess and contacted AdSense. I'll post back if I find out something interesting.

Thanks for the tip about linking with gambling. I was thinking about driving some traffic there. Many have great affiliate programs. I won't.

But this site is a content site, discussing the free to play, free to join, gotta look at this, see an ad, take a pop-up kind of site, trying to get them to play there or hit my ads/links. The games require no money on behalf of the visitor; I am pretty clear there. Some pay in checks, small amounts, and some in merchandise. Some can collect losing plays to use toward prizes.

Must be 18, we are not targeting kids. I intend to have a clickaway to some basic stuff (Asteroids) for them.

My big worry is that Google will only see casino, etc. and miss the free part. After all, many of the real casinos give free bonuses. I don't want to get banned, and this is not the kind of site that I could justify going through the trouble for an account of it's own.

The only place I have planned to use 'gambling' was in a 'Gambling problem? Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx' statement. Same people that spend too much money can spend too much time...

I wouldn't even do a site like this, but I found a very unique opportunity for lots of traffic. I have chance to make some money from it for very little cash outlay and some copy/design work. After that, it should run itself.

 

AdSense got back with me quickly, but with the standard info I had gotten from the site, 'no gambling or casino-related' seems to be the mantra, but I have since found a couple of sites that link to the same TYPE of site I wish to link to, one I found through this forum. They are running AdSense.

I replied pleadingly, clarifying my case.

Sandboxing the content, it shows similar sites to the ones I wish to link to.
Using the dP Sandbox for the words 'casino' 'free casino' and 'free casino games' is very interesting. 'Casino', however, is a low priority keyword for my site. I can completely avoid the word 'gambling' without a problem.

I wonder if I just avoided 'gambling' and 'casino' would be enough?
The sites I want to link to are clear enough about the free gameplay.

Or should I just not sweat it, since no real gambling occurs at all?

Or find some other program that is not so restrictive and worrisome?
Suggestions welcome.

 

If you can build up a decent traffic base, Adbrite might be an option for you

On the football handicapping site I referenced earlier, when I removed the adsense code, I replaced it with the AdBrite network.

I made way more in direct ad buys on the site that I was previously making with Adsense. However, since the football season ended and the direct buys have ended, it has made a grand total of $.07. But then again, the site is very seasonal. From late August to Mid-January, it averages about 30,000 pageviews/day, but in the off-season, it averages about 35 pageviews/day.

 

Any other good options besides AdBrite for gambling sites?

 

If you have sufficient traffic, why not work out deals with actual gambling sites?

 

I'm going to have a couple ads on from gambling sites (that's where I hope to make the $$) - but I'd like to monetize the other traffic I get, too.

 

adsense permit online casinos content as long there is no gambling on the site but no adwords aloud to online gambling promotion

 

I wouldn't do it. I run a similar poker tips site that primarily gives tips for winning at poker but I wouldn't even think of putting Adsense on it. Plus, there are so many lucrative affiliate programs that work well without having to use Adsense. Here's some of the best as far as my knowledge goes.

Also, if you want PPC ads, both Bidvertiser and Adbrite accept even casino affiliate sites, so I'd avoid Adsense all together.

 

So you can link to gambling sites?! A Casino review site or a Casino directory is ok, them?!

 

Well I m not So sure About It...

 

This this is what I am looking for, and my conclusion after reading this thread in NOT ALLOW to use casino keyword for adsense.

 

Doppy, like Bryce says, there are many alternatives, better than adsense, to monetize gambling related sites.
For example, here's a review of a very good adsense alternative for PPC casino ads with paypal.

I think that it is very good option for this niche.

 

Is it still the case that Adsense bans gambling sites. With Adwords gambling is now OK as long as it targets only the UK. Does anyone know if Adsense is the same?

 

Adsense BOTs will go through your site, and check or certain keywords and phrases.

The instant it picks up that you're advertising on a Gambling/Casino site, your adsense account will be banned.

 

Yes, for Adwords casino sites are no longer a problem, but only if your site targets the UK and Ireland only, and not authoritarian countries like China, Saudi Arabia and the US where many activities are still banned by the state.