According to recent reports, Google has banned advertisements for rummy and daily fantasy sports across its platforms in India, tightening its gambling and gaming ad policies and cutting off a key digital acquisition channel for real-money gaming operators.
What Has Changed in Google’s Advertising Policy
Google has removed rummy and daily fantasy sports from its list of permitted advertising categories for India.
As a result, these formats can no longer be promoted across Search, YouTube, or the Display Network when targeting Indian users.
This marks a shift from earlier policy frameworks where limited advertising was allowed under specific certifications.
Why Google Implemented the Ban
The policy update is widely viewed as a response to India’s evolving legal framework governing online gaming.
Google has consistently stated that its gambling and gaming advertising policies are designed to align strictly with local laws and regulatory expectations in each market.
The change reflects a compliance-first approach rather than a platform-level business decision.
Impact on India’s Online Gaming Ecosystem
The ban is expected to have immediate consequences for the real-money gaming sector, including:
- Fantasy sports platforms and rummy operators losing a primary acquisition channel
- Affiliate publishers and performance marketers facing revenue disruption
- Digital agencies needing to pivot away from Google Ads-led growth models
For many operators, Google Ads had been central to both brand visibility and user acquisition.
What Advertising Is No Longer Allowed
Under the revised policy, the following are no longer eligible for promotion in India:
- Rummy platforms
- Daily fantasy sports contests
- Real-money gaming formats classified under these categories
Any active campaigns risk immediate disapproval and potential account-level enforcement.
Broader Regulatory Context
The decision underscores the increasing regulatory scrutiny on online gaming and advertising in India.
Platform policies are now closely mirroring legislative intent, leaving little room for grey-area promotions.
This approach signals that policy compliance will take precedence over category-level exemptions going forward.
What This Means for Advertisers and Agencies
Advertisers operating in restricted gaming categories will need to explore alternatives such as:
- Influencer-led discovery
- Brand-safe content partnerships
- Offline or community-driven marketing channels
For agencies, the change accelerates the need to diversify beyond single-platform dependency.
Final takeway
Digilogy tracks these platform and policy shifts closely as part of its ongoing analysis of India’s digital advertising and regulatory landscape.
For daily updates and context-driven insights, visit the Digilogy News page.
