The word "restricted" in ad policies is often read as "almost prohibited". In reality a restricted category is a working mode: ads are allowed if the advertiser proves it has the right to operate in that space and agrees to show ads only to the people and in the places where it is legal. Working with these categories is primarily paperwork. Below is a general map of the most common restricted ad categories across the big platforms. Country lists, document requirements and application forms differ by platform and change regularly, so always confirm the final details in the platform's own help center.
What restricted ad categories are
Platforms split what can be advertised into three groups:
| Group | Example | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed | Clothing, software, skills training | Follow the general rules |
| Restricted | Gambling, finance, crypto, pharmacies, alcohol, dating, weight loss | License, certification or permission, age and geo limits |
| Prohibited | Drugs, weapons, counterfeits, deceptive schemes | Nothing will help |
Restrictions exist for three reasons: law (in many countries advertising of gambling, medicines and financial services is regulated), risk of harm (addiction, debt, health) and risk of fraud (these categories attract the most deceptive offers). Once you understand the reason, it is easier to predict what the platform will ask for.
Gambling and betting: certification and permissions
Online casinos, sportsbooks, poker, lotteries, social casinos — the strictest of the restricted categories.
Google Ads. Gambling ads run only after certification for a specific country. The conditions are common to all countries:
- a valid license from the local regulator where the law requires one;
- a site that complies with local rules: responsible gambling, age, terms;
- ads targeted only at permitted countries;
- no targeting of minors.
The list of countries where certification is possible and the types of games allowed vary, and that list is the first thing to check.
Meta. Real-money gaming ads are allowed only with Meta's prior written permission. You apply through a form in the business help center: company, license, countries, ad accounts. The permission covers only the accounts listed.
TikTok. In most markets gambling ads are prohibited; exceptions cover a narrow set of products in specific countries.
Yandex Direct (Russia). The law allows ads only for licensed operators such as bookmakers, with restrictions; online casino ads are prohibited.
Tip. If you are a media buyer running a gambling offer through an affiliate network, ask first: who holds the license, in which countries, and does the advertiser have platform certification. Without that, "how do I launch this" has no honest answer.
Financial services and loans
Loans, credit, investments, insurance, brokerage, financial advice.
- Google Ads in many countries requires financial services verification: a license or registration with the local financial regulator. Disclosure of terms is also mandatory: rate, fees, term, company address.
- Meta treats credit as a special ad category with restricted targeting, and for a number of financial products requires license confirmation.
- TikTok allows financial ads in some markets with documentation and blocks them in others.
- Yandex Direct requires a license or registry entry with the regulator, the company name in the ad and disclosure of terms.
What you usually need to disclose in financial ads
Specific requirements depend on the country and platform, but the set of details reviewers look for on the page is similar:
- the full name of the company providing the service and details of its license or registration;
- the range of rates, total cost, fees and penalties;
- repayment terms and conditions, with a sample calculation;
- a risk warning for investment products;
- the company's contacts and address;
- a privacy policy if you collect applications.
If even part of this information is only in a document ten pages deep rather than on the landing page, the ad will most likely be disapproved.
A typical mistake is advertising a "0% loan" without stating the conditions under which that rate applies. That is not allowed under platform rules or under the law in many countries.
Cryptocurrency and digital assets
Crypto is the most volatile category: platform rules follow changes in the law.
- Exchanges, wallets, exchange services — usually only after certification and in countries where the company is registered or licensed by the regulator.
- ICOs, dubious tokens, investment schemes with guaranteed returns — prohibited almost everywhere.
- Education, news, analytics without a call to buy a specific asset — more often allowed, but still reviewed.
Before launch, check three things: whether the specific product type is allowed on the platform, whether it is allowed in the target country, and whether the company has the required registration.
Health, pharmacies and medical services
- Online pharmacies and prescription drugs — only for certified advertisers. Many platforms rely on independent verification such as LegitScript: the company passes it first, then applies for certification with the platform.
- Addiction treatment — separate certification in a number of countries.
- Medical services — a license where the law requires it, and mandatory disclaimers in some countries.
- Dietary supplements — no promises to cure, no claims that the product replaces medicine; some countries also require a statement that the product is not a drug.
- Weight loss — adults only, no "before/after", no demeaning imagery and no unrealistic timelines.
Then there is nutra in affiliate marketing: products for weight loss, joints, blood pressure and so on. Here the main problem is not the category but the wording. A promise to cure a chronic disease will not pass on any platform, even if the product itself is allowed. How to rewrite such claims honestly is covered in compliant ad creatives.
Dating, alcohol and other categories
Beyond the "big" restricted categories, platforms have a number of topics where the rules are softer but still differ from the general ones. They have one thing in common: age and geo are set not by the advertiser's wishes but by law and platform policy, and an ad set up more broadly will be disapproved or delivered in a limited way.
| Category | Typical conditions |
|---|---|
| Dating | Written permission on some platforms, 18+, no sexual overtones |
| Alcohol | Legal drinking age of the country, only where ads are allowed |
| Gambling-like mechanics in games | Honest depiction of gameplay, age limits |
| Political and social issues | Advertiser verification, a "paid for by" disclaimer |
| Trademarks | Restrictions upon the trademark owner's complaint |
Affiliate offers in restricted categories
Most gambling, finance and nutra in affiliate marketing are CPA network offers. This raises a question many ask too late: who exactly gets the platform permission?
The general principle is this. The license belongs to whoever provides the service: the casino, the bookmaker, the bank, the clinic. The platform permission or certification goes to whoever places the ads, and the platform checks the relationship between them. Many platforms allow restricted category ads only from the licensee itself or its official partners under contract. An intermediary without such a contract usually will not get permission.
What this means for a media buyer:
- Ask the network before you start whether the advertiser has certification on the right platform in the right country and whether it can add your ad account.
- Clarify which ads and pages are acceptable. A certified advertiser is responsible for ads run in its name and usually sets creative requirements for partners.
- Do not launch a restricted category "just to see". Category disapprovals without documents pile up in the account history and get in the way later, when you do have the documents. How that ends on Meta is covered in Facebook ad account restricted: what to do.
- Pick a network that works transparently. How to evaluate an affiliate program is covered in CPA networks: how they work and how to choose.
What changes after you get permission
Permission does not mean "anything goes". After approval:
- ads run only in permitted countries and only to adults;
- creatives and pages are reviewed just as before — guaranteed wins, "easy money" and pressure on vulnerable people are still prohibited;
- if you change domain, legal entity or license, the permission has to be updated;
- a serious violation can lead to the permission being revoked, not just to a single ad being disapproved.
How to prepare for certification: step by step
- Define the category and country. Find the category page in the platform's help center and check whether ads are allowed in your geo. How to choose geos is covered in affiliate geos: Tier-1, Tier-2, Tier-3.
- Gather the documents. License, company registration, site details, independent verification where needed.
- Get the site in order. Company information, responsible gambling or disclaimers, terms, privacy policy, age verification where required.
- Complete advertiser verification if the platform asks for it.
- Submit the application with ad account IDs and domains.
- Wait for the decision and only then launch campaigns.
- Update the application when you add a new domain, country or account.
Tip. Keep one file with documents, account IDs and certification dates for the whole team. How to split access and responsibility is covered in working as a media buying team.
Where ArtisanClo fits in restricted categories
Certification and permissions are obtained by the advertiser from the platform; ArtisanClo plays no part in that process and does not replace it. After launch, other things come in handy:
- Geo and device filtering. A license in a restricted category is always tied to a country. A geo filter in the flow keeps visitors from countries outside the list off the offer, even if they arrived via the link. More in filtering by geo, language, device and schedule.
- Weeding out bots and click fraud. In expensive categories every empty click costs especially dearly. How to protect yourself is covered in click fraud: how to protect your budget.
- Conversion statuses. In gambling and finance there is hold and approval between a lead and money. How to account for them is covered in conversion statuses.
The full list of capabilities is on the ArtisanClo features page.
Tip. Rules for restricted categories change more often than any others: countries are added and removed, application forms are updated, new site requirements appear. Assign someone on the team to check current certifications against the platforms' help centers once a month, and log the check dates.
Summary
Restricted ad categories are not a gray zone but a regime with clear rules: a license in the target country, platform certification or written permission, correct age and geo targeting, and an honest page. Start by checking whether the category is allowed in your geo, prepare documents before launch rather than after a disapproval, and confirm current requirements in each platform's help center — they change more often than any other part of the policies.
