YouTube policy update: new rules for gambling, violent gaming videos and streaming
- Starting today, YouTube will enforce stricter rules for videos featuring gambling-related content.
- YouTube’s gambling restrictions extend beyond classic online casinos.
Alexandra Kurdyumova is co-founder and CEO of Futura. Evgenia Shikholeva is an associate at Futura.
Starting November 17th, 2025, YouTube will enforce stricter rules for videos (including streaming) featuring gambling-related content and games with violent elements. The update aims to strengthen the platform’s approach to user safety, especially for minors, and aligns with a global shift toward more responsible digital content regulation.
Over the past decade, gaming content has evolved from light entertainment into a complex ecosystem blending streaming, monetisation and gambling-like mechanics. Alongside this evolution, concerns have grown about how easily young users can access gambling simulators, NFT-based betting, or hyper-realistic violence in games.
The new YouTube policy reflects public and regulatory pressure on platforms to protect their most vulnerable users.
Balatro, backlash, and a brewing storm
Earlier this year, a surprising takedown sent ripples through the creator community: Balatro University, a YouTube channel offering strategy tips for the breakout poker-style roguelike Balatro, was mistakenly flagged for gambling content. The channel had no real-money mechanics, just stylised cards, fast pacing, and a dash of luck. But the algorithm didn’t see the nuance.
YouTube’s gambling restrictions now extend beyond classic online casinos.
The move sparked a broader conversation: is this content moderation or creeping censorship? Is the platform protecting users or policing vibes? In many ways, the new 2025 policy update is less a new chapter, and more the formalisation of rules already being tested quietly behind the scenes.
A Guardian investigation published shortly after the incident confirmed what many suspected: YouTube’s systems were already aggressively targeting content with perceived gambling mechanics, even when no real money was involved. Add in mounting regulatory pressure in the US, EU and Asia, and the shift toward tighter moderation was inevitable.
Legal insight: what changes and why
1. Broader definition of gambling content
YouTube’s gambling restrictions now extend beyond classic online casinos. The updated policy includes games or digital mechanics involving items with real monetary value such as skins, NFTs or cosmetic items.
This means creators covering skin trading, NFT gambling or reward-based games must comply with the same standards as casino-related channels.
2. Age restrictions for social casino content
Even simulated casino games - those without real money or monetary prizes - will now fall under 18+ restrictions. YouTube recognises that ‘practice’ gambling experiences can still normalise risky behaviour among minors.
3. Age restrictions for violent gaming content
Monetisation and reach will likely drop for age-restricted videos.
Videos showcasing graphic violence, mass harm to non-combat characters, or torture scenes will be restricted to adult audiences. These updates focus not only on the presence of violence, but on its intensity, focus and realism - meaning even fictional scenes may be flagged depending on visual detail and duration.
What creators and platforms need to know about YouTube’s updated policy
For creators, channels featuring gambling-related or violent gameplay must label content as 18+ and, where necessary, edit or blur sensitive scenes. Monetisation and reach will likely drop for age-restricted videos as they become less discoverable and lose ad eligibility.
Regular audits of video libraries and thumbnails can help avoid strikes or demonetisation. Even if your game doesn’t feature classic gambling, mechanics like loot boxes, NFT trades or cosmetic item markets can still fall under scrutiny.
Be proactive: review monetisation models and ensure age-appropriate tags are applied.
For platforms and advertisers, YouTube will deploy stricter moderation algorithms and increase manual reviews to enforce compliance. Advertisers may demand proof of content safety, reducing collaboration opportunities for channels operating near policy boundaries.
YouTube’s 2025 update is more than a policy change - it’s part of a broader cultural shift toward ethical and age-conscious digital content.
Game publishers, developers and companies promoting titles with loot boxes, NFTs or gambling-like features should prepare for lower visibility on YouTube. Game monetisation models relying on real-value digital assets will face heightened scrutiny from both regulators and platforms.
Publishers should consider diversifying traffic sources, especially if their titles heavily rely on mechanics now affected by YouTube’s policy. Adjusting marketing strategies now may prevent sudden visibility drops post-November 17th.
Conclusion: our take
YouTube’s 2025 update is more than a policy change - it’s part of a broader cultural shift toward ethical and age-conscious digital content. For creators and developers alike, understanding and adapting to these standards isn’t just about compliance: it’s about building sustainable trust with audiences and brands.
Publishers should consider diversifying traffic sources, especially if their titles heavily rely on mechanics now affected by YouTube’s policy.
This is also a wake-up call for publishers who’ve long relied on YouTube as a primary discovery engine. When visibility and monetisation are algorithmically throttled, studios will need new ways to reach players, or risk losing traction in a post-age-gating era.
As YouTube put it, these updates reflect the platform’s "ongoing commitment to protecting young users and fostering a responsible ecosystem".
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