Gambling Advertising Rules on Facebook by Country

Quick Answer

Meta requires written permission before any gambling, gaming or lottery ad runs on Facebook. On top of that, every jurisdiction has its own licensing regime — UKGC, MGA, ARJEL/ANJ, AGCO, Spelinspektionen, MGCB, NJDGE, ACMA, and so on. Ads must target users 18+ (21+ in some jurisdictions), avoid targeting self-excluded users, exclude minors and vulnerable groups, and follow strict creative rules around responsible gambling.

What the rule actually says

Gambling advertising on Facebook is governed by:

• Meta's gambling and gaming policy: requires written permission and a valid licence in each target country.
• UK Gambling Commission (UKGC): licence required, IGRG and CAP code rules, no targeting under-25s, mandatory responsible gambling messaging.
• Malta Gaming Authority (MGA): licence required, EU passporting, age 18+, advertising codes.
• France ANJ (formerly ARJEL): licence required, restricted creative, mandatory warnings.
• Sweden Spelinspektionen: licence required, '18+' clearly visible, no welcome bonuses to existing players.
• Ontario AGCO/iGO: registered operators only, no public-facing inducements (until 2025 changes).
• US: state-by-state, regulated by gaming commissions (NJDGE, MGCB, NGCB, etc.).
• Australia ACMA: prohibits live odds, restricts gambling ads during sport.

What is allowed and what is banned

Allowed: licensed operators with Meta's written permission, in licensed jurisdictions, to users above the legal age, with responsible gambling messaging and exclusions for self-excluded individuals.

Banned: unlicensed operators, ads targeting minors, ads targeting self-excluded users, ads using sports stars under 25 (UK), ads featuring problem gambling stigmatisation, free-bet incentives in jurisdictions that ban them, and any ad without prescribed responsible gambling messaging.

Step-by-step compliance setup

1. Apply for Meta's gambling permission via Brand Permissions Center for each target country.
2. Obtain a licence in every target jurisdiction or ensure you can rely on EU passporting.
3. Pre-clear creative against UKGC IGRG, MGA, ANJ, Spelinspektionen and other applicable codes.
4. Add prescribed responsible gambling messaging (BeGambleAware, GamCare, GameCareUS, Spelpaus, etc.).
5. Configure age targeting to 18+ (or 21+ where required) and exclude minors.
6. Sync your Facebook Custom Audiences with your self-exclusion list (GAMSTOP, Spelpaus).
7. Avoid using individuals under 25 in creative (UK rule).
8. Document compliance with the local advertising code for each campaign.
9. Maintain records of every promotion, approval, audience and result for the licence renewal.
10. Train marketing staff on jurisdiction-specific rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can a UK-licensed operator advertise to German users?
No. Each jurisdiction requires a separate licence. UK licence does not cover Germany.

What is GAMSTOP?
The UK national self-exclusion scheme. Operators must exclude GAMSTOP-registered users from advertising.

Are welcome bonuses allowed?
In the UK, yes with strict T&Cs. In Sweden, only for new customers — not existing. In Belgium, banned outright.

Can I show winnings in the creative?
UKGC requires winnings to be representative and not exaggerated. Other regulators have similar rules.

Does Meta allow lottery ads?
State-run lotteries are generally allowed with permission. Private lotteries are restricted by jurisdiction.

Real fine examples

• Entain (Ladbrokes Coral) — GBP 17 million (UKGC, 2022) for safer gambling and AML failures.
• William Hill — GBP 19.2 million (UKGC, 2023) for similar failures including marketing.
• 888 Holdings — GBP 9.4 million (UKGC, 2022) for self-exclusion and marketing failings.
• Betsson — EUR 2 million (Spelinspektionen, 2023) for Swedish marketing breaches.
• DraftKings — USD 8 million (Massachusetts, 2024) for marketing to self-excluded users.

How Pix-Vu helps

Licensed gambling operators use Pix-Vu to mock and pre-clear Facebook creative for UKGC, MGA, ANJ and US state regulators — all without firing the Pixel or burning ad accounts on rejected creative. https://pix-vu.com.