Gambling in the UK is a perfectly legal, highly regulated industry. Even the Queen is known to have a flutter on the horses now and then. There is no stigma attached and almost everybody gambles at least once a year.
The government levies lots of taxes on the gambling companies and everybody is quite happy with the current situation.
So why won’t Google let anybody advertise for the term “poker“? Why do they insist on pushing anti gambling legislation from the US down the throats of people in the UK? If they want to block US users from seeing the ads that’s fine but why stop people in the UK from seeing them?
Google is making a pretty half hearted attempt at stopping the ads. A search for “poker” reveals no ads at all while “play poker” isn’t affected in the slightest.
Hat tip to Kieron.
Patrick Altoft is Director of Search at Leeds based digital & SEO agency Branded3. Patrick also runs Blogstorm.You can get our blog posts delivered for free by email every day - simply add your email address to the box below or alternatively grab the RSS feed.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting Subject but I guess they could have a sort of legal responsibility if a US citizen is able via Google to access to an online poker gambling site…
Anyway, you’re right: as far as they could turn off those results from the US the problem could be solved…
Weird technological stuff…
Regards from Spain
Paquito.
http://paquito4ever.blogspot.com
I wonder if this is conected to the recent announcement by the UK government that it intends to crack down on ads from non-UK poker sites? Google might be concerned about ads shown to UK residents being in breach pf these regulations.
Leave a Comment (registration is optional)