by Renee Israel
Following the relaxing of restrictions regarding advertisements on its YouTube platform, giant search engine, Google announced that licensed UK gambling and betting groups would be allowed to run display campaigns.
Content would still be restricted to users aged 18 and over, and consumers would need to verify their age before they were allowed to see the ads.
YouTube account holders who are over 18 years of age would also be able to access the campaigns.
Google began relaxing its policy, first allowing the search engine to feature words relating to betting and gambling in the UK in October 2008, followed with the latest changes.
While Google has been in contact with non-profit problem gambling support group, GamCare in the past, the company said that it has not been made aware of the new policy.
Google said that the advertising space would be open to all betting groups that hold a license in a select number of countries, namely, France, Italy, Spain and Great Britain.
As such, Ladbrokes will be the first betting group to display its ad on the new YouTube space.
The move to change the regulations did not come out of the blue. Google confirmed that it has been mulling the matter for some time now.
"We have been in discussions with brands and agencies about this for more than two years," said James Cashmore of Google.
The ads will run through the Google Display Network, which replaced the Google Content Network.
