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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo advertise a prediction market in the United States, you must first obtain Google Ads certification under its Prediction Markets policy. Eligibility is currently limited to a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-authorized Designated Contract Market (DCM) whose primary business is listing exchange-listed event contracts, or a brokerage authorized by the National Futures Association (NFA) to provide third-party access to products listed by a qualifying DCM. Google currently approves the United States except Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Ohio.
Certification must be approved before ads can serve. Your application needs to establish what your product is, which regulated entity operates it, where it may be advertised, and how the website or app presents age, responsible-use, licensing and privacy information. Material changes require recertification, and policy violations can remove advertising access.
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What Google classifies as a prediction market
Google uses “prediction markets” for platforms that list or provide access to exchange-listed event contracts tied to economics, sports or current events. The classification is based on the product being advertised, not simply on whether the website uses words such as betting, trading or forecasting. A campaign can therefore fall within this policy even when the operator describes its service as a financial product rather than a gambling product.
An event contract is a market instrument whose price reflects traders’ perceived probability of an outcome. The CFTC describes regulated exchanges and intermediaries as entities that go through a stringent application process and periodic examinations. That regulatory structure is central to Google’s eligibility test: certification is not a substitute for authorization to offer the contracts.
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Who can qualify in the United States
CFTC-authorized Designated Contract Market
The first eligible category is a DCM authorized by the CFTC whose primary business must be listing exchange-listed event contracts. The DCM itself should be the advertiser, or the application must clearly explain the legal relationship between the DCM, the advertiser, the licensee and the website or app being promoted.
Prepare evidence that identifies the legal entity and demonstrates the relevant CFTC authorization. If a parent company, marketing agency or separate consumer brand submits the application, explain why that entity is permitted to advertise the DCM’s products and identify the domain or app controlled by the licensed operation.
NFA-authorized brokerage
The second category is a brokerage authorized by the NFA to offer third-party access to products listed by a qualifying DCM. A brokerage cannot rely on a general financial-services registration if it cannot show that its advertised access is to contracts listed by an eligible DCM.
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Your documentation should connect four items: the NFA-authorized brokerage, the DCM listing the products, the legal entity submitting the application and the consumer destination where users register or obtain access. Breaks in that chain are a common reason an otherwise complete submission needs clarification.
Businesses outside these categories
A site that merely publishes odds, commentary, simulated contracts or an unregulated peer-to-peer market should not assume that it qualifies. Google’s current U.S. wording is specific to the two regulated categories above. If your product structure is unusual, obtain jurisdiction-specific legal advice before applying rather than describing the service in a way that obscures its actual operation.
Approved U.S. geography
Google currently lists the United States as an approved location for prediction-market advertising, but excludes five states:
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| Location | Current status for prediction-market ads |
|---|---|
| United States, generally | Approved location when the advertiser meets the certification and policy requirements |
| Connecticut | Excluded |
| Michigan | Excluded |
| Nevada | Excluded |
| New York | Excluded |
| Ohio | Excluded |
Set campaign location targeting so that the five excluded states cannot receive impressions. Review location settings at the campaign level and in any shared location lists before launch. Check the live Google Prediction Markets and Gambling and games policy pages immediately before submitting an application because approved locations can change independently of your license status.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchGeographic approval does not override local law. A state may have rules affecting the operator, a particular contract, financial promotions, gaming, consumer protection or data handling even when Google lists that state as available. Have counsel review each target jurisdiction and keep a written record of the locations approved for the specific campaign.
Documents and information to assemble before applying
Google’s application asks for website or app identifiers and licensing and operational information. Assemble one consistent evidence packet so that the legal names, addresses, domains and product descriptions match across every document.
Regulatory evidence
- CFTC authorization identifying the DCM and its authority to list exchange-listed event contracts, or NFA authorization identifying the brokerage and its authority to provide third-party access to qualifying DCM products.
- The name of the DCM whose contracts are offered when the applicant is a brokerage.
- Applicable financial, commodity or gaming licenses for the product and each target jurisdiction, where required.
- Current license numbers, issuing authorities and expiration or renewal information.
Corporate and relationship evidence
- The applicant’s full legal entity name, registered address and jurisdiction of incorporation.
- The legal entity that owns and operates each advertised domain, mobile app or other destination.
- A concise explanation of any parent, subsidiary, white-label, agency or technology-provider relationship.
- Documentation showing why the advertiser may promote the licensed entity’s products if the names do not match.
Product and operational description
- A plain-language description of the contracts, including the connection to exchange-listed economics, sports or current-events outcomes.
- The name of the qualifying DCM and, for a brokerage, how users obtain third-party access to that DCM’s products.
- The jurisdictions in which the service will accept customers and the locations that will be excluded from advertising.
- Website and app URLs, store identifiers where applicable, and the exact landing pages planned for the campaign.
Use current documents and make sure scans are legible. If a license is pending renewal, explain its status rather than submitting an expired document without context. Google does not publish a guaranteed review time or a universal list of acceptable file formats, so keep the packet organized enough for a reviewer to verify the core facts without repeated follow-up.
Prepare the website or app destination
Certification covers the destination as well as the ad. Before applying, inspect every landing page a user could reach from the campaign, including sign-up, contract, deposit, help and footer pages.
Required disclosures and safeguards
- An age warning that is visible before a visitor proceeds to the relevant service.
- Information about addiction resources or responsible-use support.
- Terms and conditions that explain the service and the user’s obligations.
- The licensee’s legal name and license number.
- A privacy policy that names the data controller rather than using only a generic brand name.
Keep the disclosures readable on mobile screens and make sure they remain available from the page used in the ad. Do not place a license number only in an image or behind an account wall. If several domains or apps are included in the application, each should identify the same responsible entities and provide equivalent disclosures.
Make the product description consistent
The landing page should describe the service in terms consistent with the certification application. If the application says users receive access to contracts listed by a particular DCM, the page should not imply that the operator independently creates or settles unregulated markets. Avoid copy that promises guaranteed outcomes, disguises risk or suggests that participation is available in excluded states.
Step-by-step application workflow
1. Classify the product
Write a short internal classification statement before opening the form: the service lists or provides access to exchange-listed event contracts, the contracts concern the relevant event categories, and the advertiser is either the qualifying DCM or an NFA-authorized brokerage linked to that DCM. Use the statement to keep the form, ads and landing pages aligned.
2. Verify the regulated entity
Confirm the authorization directly from your regulatory records and identify the legal entity named in the authorization. Gather the applicable financial, commodity or gaming licenses, then map each license to the product, domain and target geography. Resolve differences in spelling, trade names and ownership before submission.
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Create a written list of intended U.S. locations and remove Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Ohio. Configure the campaign to target only the approved areas. If an agency manages the account, give it the same exclusion list and require a pre-launch screenshot or export showing the settings.
4. Audit the destination
Check the age warning, addiction resources, terms, licensee name and number, and privacy policy naming the data controller. Test the links from a fresh browser session and a mobile device. Correct redirects, missing pages or inconsistent legal names before applying.
5. Submit the Google Ads certification application
In Google Ads, start the certification application for prediction-market advertising. Submit the website or app identifiers and the requested licensing, regulatory and operational information. Describe the DCM or brokerage status precisely and attach or reference the evidence Google requests. Save a copy of the completed answers so future recertification uses the same factual baseline.
6. Wait for approval before serving ads
Do not launch ads while the application is pending. Google states that advertisers must apply for certification to target the United States and that approval is required before ads can run. A campaign that is technically approved in the interface but not covered by an approved certification scope should not be treated as cleared.
7. Launch within the approved scope
After approval, compare the campaign’s domains, apps, products, ad copy and locations with the approved application. Remove unapproved destinations and ensure every ad leads to a compliant page. Keep a record of the approval and the scope it covers.
Choosing between a DCM and brokerage campaign setup
| Comparison point | DCM advertiser | NFA-authorized brokerage advertiser |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory entity | CFTC-authorized DCM whose primary business is listing exchange-listed event contracts | NFA-authorized brokerage providing third-party access to products listed by a qualifying DCM |
| Product proof | Show that the DCM lists the advertised event contracts | Show the brokerage’s access relationship to the named DCM and its listed products |
| Relationship evidence | Usually simpler when the DCM owns the destination and operates the campaign | Must connect brokerage, DCM, advertiser, domain or app and any service providers |
| License burden | CFTC authorization plus applicable jurisdictional licenses | NFA authorization, DCM evidence and applicable jurisdictional licenses |
| Destination disclosures | Licensee name and number, age warning, addiction resources, terms and privacy controller | The same disclosures, with names matching the brokerage or clearly explained licensed relationship |
| Recertification exposure | Changes to listings, ownership, domains, products or locations can require recertification | Those changes plus changes to the DCM access arrangement can require recertification |
Why applications and campaigns are rejected
The applicant is not an eligible entity
A general prediction website, unregulated market or company without the required CFTC or NFA status does not satisfy the current U.S. categories. Reassess the legal entity and product before reapplying; changing ad wording cannot cure a missing authorization.
The DCM relationship is unclear
Brokerage applications often fail when they name a DCM but do not demonstrate that users receive access to that DCM’s listed products. Provide the authorization, the access relationship and matching legal names for the brokerage, DCM and destination.
Licenses are missing, expired or inconsistent
Check every number, issuing authority and expiration date. Replace outdated documents and explain renewals. If the destination identifies a different licensee from the application, correct the page or provide relationship documentation.
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The campaign targets an excluded state
Remove Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Ohio from location targeting and from ad or landing-page language that suggests availability there. Review shared lists, automated campaign settings and agency-managed accounts after any structural change.
The landing page lacks required disclosures
Add the age warning, addiction resources, terms, licensee name and number, and privacy policy naming the data controller. Verify that the disclosures are visible without signing in and that links work on mobile.
The ad or destination changed after approval
Changing the domain, app, legal entity, product type, DCM relationship or approved locations can move the campaign outside its certification scope. Pause affected ads, document the change and submit a new or updated certification when the change is material.
Maintaining certification after approval
Certification is an ongoing compliance obligation, not a one-time badge. Keep regulatory authorizations and licenses current, monitor landing pages for accidental edits, and review location exclusions whenever Google updates its policy.
- Maintain a register of domains, apps, campaigns, products, license numbers and approval dates.
- Require compliance review before changing ad copy, landing pages, ownership, tracking destinations or contract offerings.
- Recheck that the DCM or brokerage relationship described in the application remains accurate.
- Recertify after material changes rather than assuming an earlier approval carries forward.
- Pause advertising promptly if a license lapses, a destination loses required disclosures or a policy violation is identified.
Google can suspend advertising access for policy violations. Keep evidence of reviews and corrections so you can respond accurately if Google asks for clarification or limits the account.
What Google certification does not establish
Certification confirms that Google has approved advertising under its policy; it does not determine that a product is lawful in every state, guarantee that a contract is appropriate for a particular audience, or replace CFTC, NFA or other licensing obligations. It also does not create permission to advertise in an excluded state or to promote products outside the approved application scope.
Google’s policy pages and approved-location lists can change. Recheck the live Prediction Markets and Gambling and games policies before filing and before each major campaign launch. Obtain jurisdiction-specific legal advice for the operator’s product, customer eligibility and intended locations.
Pre-submission checklist
- Confirm the product lists or provides access to exchange-listed event contracts.
- Confirm the advertiser is a qualifying CFTC-authorized DCM or an NFA-authorized brokerage connected to a qualifying DCM.
- Collect current authorizations, licenses, license numbers and legal-entity records.
- Map the advertiser, licensee, DCM, domain and app in a one-page relationship diagram.
- List intended U.S. locations and exclude Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Ohio.
- Publish the age warning, addiction resources, terms, licensee name and number, and privacy policy naming the data controller.
- Check that ad copy, landing pages and product descriptions use the same factual terminology as the application.
- Submit the Google Ads prediction-market certification application with website or app identifiers and requested operational details.
- Wait for approval before serving ads.
- Schedule a compliance review for every material change and recertify when required.
No decision-useful approval-rate, review-time or cost statistic is published in the applicable Google and regulatory materials. Treat any third-party estimate as non-authoritative and plan your launch around the time needed to assemble accurate evidence and resolve follow-up questions.
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A prediction-market campaign can run in the United States only after Google approves certification, and current eligibility is limited to a qualifying CFTC-authorized DCM or an NFA-authorized brokerage offering access to qualifying DCM products. Build the application around verifiable regulatory evidence, compliant destination disclosures and precise location exclusions, then recertify whenever the approved facts materially change.
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