Gambling licenses and where your ads can run
If you run a casino, a sportsbook, or another iGaming brand, or you manage campaigns for one as an agency, your gambling license affects how many sites and apps will show your ads. You must hold every license the markets you target require. In markets that require none, you can run without one, and a license still opens more of the inventory.
How site approval works
When your campaign goes live, it bids for placements across the sites and apps reached through the NEXUS Ad Exchange. Many of them, especially for iGaming, review an advertiser before they accept its ads.
Each one checks:
- Your domain: the site your ads link to.
- Your terms and conditions: bonus terms, eligibility, and withdrawal rules.
Each site decides under its own policies. Blockchain-Ads does not control these reviews, so it cannot guarantee that a specific site will accept you, with or without a license. A site may also ask for changes before it approves you, such as clearer terms or added responsible-gambling messaging.
Why acceptance varies by market
Gambling advertising is regulated country by country, and in some countries state by state or province by province. As a result:
- A site may accept your ads in one market and decline them in another.
- Some markets only allow ads from operators licensed in that market.
- Some sites apply stricter rules in heavily regulated markets, wherever your license is from.
You are responsible for making sure your offer and your ads are legal in every market you target, and for holding any license those markets require (section 6.2 of the Advertiser Agreement). You choose those markets in Step 3 of the campaign builder (Audience & Targeting), under Geo. GEO Targeting walks through selecting countries. If you are unsure about a market, check its local rules, or ask your account manager or Support which markets fit your offer.
With or without a license: what to expect
| Without a license | With a license | |
|---|---|---|
| Can I run campaigns? | Yes, in markets that don't require a license | Yes |
| Sites and apps that accept your ads | Fewer. Some decline unlicensed gambling advertisers | More, including more premium sites and apps |
| Inventory available to your campaigns | A smaller pool | A larger pool |
| Room to scale | Campaigns can perform well, with less room to grow | More room to grow, because the algorithm has more eligible impressions in which to find your audience |
How to get approved by more sites
Whether or not you hold a license, these steps help more sites say yes:
- Show your license, if you have one. Put the license type and number in your site footer, for example Curaçao, MGA, UKGC, or a local license.
- Make your terms easy to find and read, including bonus and withdrawal terms.
- Add responsible-gambling messaging and an age notice (18+, or the higher age a market requires) on your landing page and in your creatives. Advertising Policies already requires both on iGaming landing pages.
- Keep your ad and your landing page consistent. The offer in the ad should be the offer people see when they land. You set the landing page in Step 2 (see How to Configure Campaign Settings) and the creatives in Step 4 (see Uploading Ad Assets and Properties).
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Check the rules in every market you target.
