Does Meta Require Written Permission for Gambling Ads on Facebook and Instagram?

Yes. Meta's Advertising Standards state that ads for online gambling and real-money gaming are only allowed with Meta's prior written permission, and even advertisers who have that permission still can't target anyone under the age of 18.

How the Permission Process Works

Applicants need to show evidence that the gambling activity they want to advertise is appropriately licensed by a regulator, or otherwise established as lawful, in each territory they want to target. Approval isn't a blanket license — it's granted to specific ad account IDs and limited to the exact URLs and territories listed in that approval. Running the same gambling ad from a different ad account, on a different domain, or into a market outside the approved list isn't covered by an existing permission.

What Counts as Online Gambling Under This Policy

The policy extends beyond ads that let someone gamble directly inside the ad or on its immediate landing page. Landing pages that promote online gambling or games — including aggregator and affiliate sites with no gambling function themselves — still fall under the written-permission requirement, since Meta treats the promotion itself, not just the transaction, as the triggering activity.

What's Exempt From the Policy

A few categories are carved out. Physical, real-money gambling establishments (think a casino's general brand advertising) aren't treated as "online" gambling under this rule. Prize promotions that only require purchasing a product at its usual retail price are exempt too, and so are games that are entirely free to play with no possibility of winning money. Entertainment apps with zero chance of a cash payout generally don't need written permission, though the 18+ targeting restriction still applies to gambling-adjacent content more broadly.

Approval Varies by Market, Not Globally

Permission isn't an all-or-nothing global switch. In 2025, Meta revised its policy specifically to let licensed real-money gaming operators in India advertise with permission, where that hadn't previously been available — a reminder that approval is granted market by market as Meta's own legal assessment of each territory evolves, not as a single worldwide policy toggle.

Where Advertisers Actually Apply

Reporting on this policy describes gambling and real-money gaming ad applications running through Meta's Permissions and Verifications process inside Business Suite, rather than a standalone form outside the platform. That centralizes both the application and the ongoing proof-of-license documentation in the same place advertisers already manage other account-level verifications.

Enforcement Isn't Airtight

Reporting on Meta's gambling ad enforcement has flagged gaps, though the available evidence is limited to specific incidents and sample audits rather than a comprehensive review, so treat any claim about overall enforcement rates as unconfirmed unless it cites Meta's own transparency reporting. Compliance vendors tracking this policy also describe granted permissions as narrower and more easily revoked than a standard business license, though that characterization comes from third-party commentary rather than Meta's own policy text, so verify the current terms of any approval you hold rather than assuming it's permanent.

Bottom Line

Before launching any gambling or real-money gaming campaign on Facebook or Instagram, apply for written permission through the Permissions and Verifications flow in Meta Business Suite for each ad account and territory you intend to use — and don't assume a "free-to-play" label exempts your app if any mechanism inside it lets users win real money.

Sources: Meta Advertising Standards, "Gambling and Games" policy (transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/content-specific-restrictions/gambling); Storyboard18 reporting on Meta's 2025 real-money gaming policy update for India.