Google halts rummy and fantasy sports ads in India amid escalating regulatory scrutiny

New Delhi: Google has announced it will prohibit all advertisements for rummy and daily fantasy sports targeting the country.

The policy change, set to take effect on January 21, 2026, comes as the tech giant seeks to comply with evolving local laws and regulations.

The announcement, made on January 7, effectively dismantles the previous certification system that allowed licensed operators to promote daily fantasy sports in India. "Our updated policy will disallow all Rummy and Daily Fantasy Sports promotions targeting India," Google stated in its update, emphasizing the need for regulatory compliance without detailing specific triggers from Indian authorities.

This decision arrives against a backdrop of intensified government crackdowns on real-money gaming. In 2025, India introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, which imposed a complete ban on real-money online games, including popular fantasy sports platforms like Dream11 and My11Circle.

The legislation reclassified many skill-based games as gambling, leading to the blocking of over 1,410 gambling-related websites in a sweeping regulatory action late last year. Several apps, including those offering rummy and poker, have already halted real-money operations amid the enforcement wave.

With Google's vast ad network, including Display & Video 360 and Authorised Buyers, now off-limits, operators may pivot to alternatives like social media influencers, traditional TV spots, or partnerships, though these could prove costlier and less targeted.

Advertisers have a brief two-week window to revise campaigns before facing disapprovals or account suspensions for violations. The policy applies broadly to any promotions with India-inclusive targeting, irrespective of user location or the games' monetisation models.

This isn't Google's first brush with gaming ads in India. In 2022, the company briefly allowed real-money games on its Play Store under pilot programs, but persistent legal ambiguities and enforcement actions have led to this full reversal.

Meanwhile, such ads remain permissible in markets like the US, Canada, and the UK, where licensing frameworks are more established.