Google to Revoke Gambling Ad Certifications and Halt New Applications Targeting Croatia from October 2026
Google prohibits all online gambling ad promotions targeting Croatia from October 7, 2026, revoking certifications. This follows Croatia’s January 2026 ban on most forms of gambling advertising across media. Local media question enforcement after HNS partnered with Kalshi in a regulatory grey area.
SCCG Take — The gap between rigid gambling ad rules and tolerance for prediction market promotions signals uneven oversight that operators must monitor to gauge future compliance exposure.
Google will no longer allow affiliates or media platforms to use its ad services for gambling content or promotions aimed at Croatian audiences. The restriction takes effect on October 7, 2026, with the company revoking all existing Google Ads certifications for online gambling-promotional content and refusing new advertiser applications.
The update appears in revised country-specific terms for Croatia within Google’s Gambling and Gaming policy. Google stated the changes were made independently of the Croatian government’s recent advertising limits. The policy is expected to hit affiliate sites and media portals that rely on paid ads to funnel traffic toward gambling platforms.
Croatia’s Strict Gambling Advertising Framework
As of January 1, 2026, the HDZ government imposed wide-ranging curbs on gambling ads. Online, television, and radio advertising is barred between 6am and 11pm. Print media, billboards, and other public spaces are off-limits. Digital publications cannot carry links to operators, while bonus promotions, free spins, and similar incentives are restricted to operators’ own websites.
Celebrities and media personalities are prohibited from appearing in campaigns. Social-media influencers may not promote or livestream gambling. Sponsorship deals are limited to corporate names, logos, and brand marks, without calls to gamble or references to offers. All permitted ads must include warnings that gambling can cause addiction and that minors are barred from participation. Limited exemptions apply to specified low-risk lottery products.
The Kalshi Partnership and Enforcement Questions
Enforcement of the advertising rules has drawn criticism after the Croatia Football Federation (HNS) formed a partnership with U.S. prediction markets operator Kalshi in June. The arrangement was promoted on HNS social media assets using Croatian football legend Luka Modric. Local outlets have questioned why no agency has acted to cancel the deal, given that prediction markets remain an unregulated grey area.
As reported by SBC News, the Croatia Football Federation (HNS) has yet to explain the partnership. This contrast between tight gambling ad controls and apparent tolerance for prediction market activity highlights limits in consistent application of the rules. Operators and affiliates will need to track how Croatian authorities address such boundary cases going forward.
Reporting: SBC News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Croatia's strict ad ban and Google's exit leave operators guessing where regulators will draw the line on partnerships and promotions.
We've seen this script before: governments impose sweeping ad bans, platforms pull out, then enforcement turns selective. Croatia's Kalshi-HNS partnership sits in a grey zone no one is policing—yet. That inconsistency creates risk for every operator and affiliate trying to market there, and clarity won't come fast.
- Google revokes all gambling ad certifications for Croatia effective October 7, 2026
- Croatia banned most gambling ads from January 2026: no TV/radio 6am–11pm, no print, no influencers
- HNS-Kalshi prediction market deal using Luka Modric faces no enforcement despite unclear legal status
SCCG angle: SCCG helps clients map the compliance and partnership landscape in markets with shifting ad rules. We connect operators to local regulatory counsel, compliant media partners, and sponsorship advisors who know where the enforcement gaps are—and how to structure deals that survive scrutiny as rules tighten.
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