February 23, 2026 · 10 min read
Running Gambling Ads on Twitter/X
Traffic & ConversionRunning Gambling Ads on Twitter/X
Twitter (now X) has more permissive gambling advertising policies than most major platforms. That doesn't mean anything goes—but it does mean opportunities exist. This guide is part of our casino SEO and traffic series.
This guide covers what's allowed, how to get authorized, and strategies that work for casino affiliates.
Twitter's Gambling Ad Policies
What's Allowed
With authorization, Twitter permits:
- Sports betting ads
- Casino advertising
- Daily fantasy sports
- Lottery promotions
- Gambling-related content
Geographic restrictions:
- Must be licensed in target jurisdictions
- Different rules for different countries
- US state-by-state regulations apply
- Some countries completely prohibited
What's Required
For gambling ads, you need:
- Pre-authorization from Twitter
- Valid gambling license in target markets
- Compliance with local regulations
- Age-targeted audiences only
- Responsible gambling messaging
What's Prohibited
You cannot:
- Target minors
- Advertise in prohibited jurisdictions
- Run misleading ads
- Promote unlicensed gambling
- Guarantee winnings
The Authorization Process
Step 1: Prepare Documentation
You'll need:
- Business information
- Gambling licenses (copies)
- Website URL
- Description of what you'll advertise
- Target markets/jurisdictions
Step 2: Apply for Authorization
How to apply:
- Go to Twitter Ads account
- Navigate to "Help" or "Contact"
- Request gambling advertising authorization
- Submit required documentation
- Wait for review
What to include in request:
- Clear description of your business
- Which markets you want to target
- Links to licenses/regulatory info
- Sample ad creative (optional but helpful)
Step 3: Wait for Approval
Timeline:
- Initial response: 1-2 weeks typical
- Full approval: 2-4 weeks
- May require additional documentation
Possible outcomes:
- Approved (with restrictions)
- Approved for limited markets
- Request for more information
- Denied
Step 4: Maintain Compliance
After approval:
- Follow all stated restrictions
- Update authorization if markets change
- Respond to compliance inquiries
- Keep licenses current
For Affiliates: The Reality
Can Affiliates Get Authorized?
The challenge:
Twitter's gambling policies focus on licensed operators. Affiliates typically don't hold gambling licenses—they promote licensed casinos.
Possible approaches:
- Content promotion: Advertise educational content, not casino links
- Business positioning: Present as gambling media/review company
- Licensed partners: Work with licensed casinos on co-marketing
What Actually Works for Affiliates
Focus on:
- Promoting content about gambling
- Building your Twitter following
- Driving traffic to educational content
- Growing email list via Twitter ads
- Brand awareness for your review site
Instead of:
- Direct casino affiliate links
- "Sign up through my link" messaging
- Promoting specific gambling actions
Ad Formats and Strategies
Effective Ad Formats
Promoted Tweets:
- Best for engagement and clicks
- Can include media
- Fits naturally in timeline
- Good for content promotion
Follower Campaigns:
- Build your following
- Long-term value
- Good for brand building
- Engaged followers see organic content
Website Traffic Campaigns:
- Drive clicks to your site
- Good for content promotion
- Can target specific content pieces
- Measure on-site conversion
Creative Strategies
For content promotion:
"Just published: The Complete Guide to Casino Bonuses (What they don't tell you)
5,000 words on how bonuses actually work, which ones are worth it, and which to avoid.
Free to read: [link]"
For list building:
"Free download: The House Edge Calculator
Know exactly what you're up against before you play.
Grab yours: [link to landing page]"
For brand building:
"I review casinos so you don't have to get scammed.
Follow for honest takes on:
- Which casinos actually pay
- Bonus traps to avoid
- Games with the best odds
No BS. No fake wins. Just real information."
What Not to Do
Avoid:
- Direct affiliate links in ads
- "Use my code" messaging
- Guaranteed winning claims
- Misleading before/after scenarios
- Targeting non-compliant jurisdictions
Targeting Options
Audience Targeting
Relevant interests:
- Gambling
- Sports betting
- Poker
- Casino games
- Crypto (for crypto casino content)
Follower look-alikes:
- Followers of gambling accounts
- Followers of sports betting accounts
- Followers of casino reviewers
Keywords:
- Target users who tweet about gambling
- Specific game mentions
- Casino name mentions
Geographic Targeting
Start with:
- Markets where online gambling is clearly legal
- Regions your content is relevant to
- Areas where you can comply with regulations
Avoid:
- Jurisdictions with gambling ad prohibitions
- Markets where you're not sure of rules
- Under-18 targeting (obviously)
Demographic Targeting
Required:
- 21+ targeting in most US states
- 18+ minimum everywhere
- Compliance with local age requirements
Recommended:
- Target based on interests, not just age
- Consider income/education for value targeting
- Test different demographic combinations
Budget and Bidding
Starting Budget
Recommended test budget:
- $100-300 for initial testing
- Enough for statistical significance
- Not so much you waste on bad creative
Daily budget:
- Start with $20-50/day
- Scale up what works
- Kill what doesn't quickly
Bidding Strategies
For awareness:
- Automated bidding
- Optimize for impressions
- Lower cost, broader reach
For traffic:
- Cost per click bidding
- Set max CPC based on value
- Monitor click quality
For followers:
- Cost per follower bidding
- Track follower quality over time
- Consider lifetime value
Expected Costs
Gambling-related targeting:
- Higher CPCs than average ($1-5+)
- Competitive space
- Quality over quantity matters
What's worth paying:
- Engaged visitors who read content
- Email subscribers
- Quality followers
Measuring Success
Key Metrics
Ad metrics:
- Impressions
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Cost per click (CPC)
- Engagement rate
On-site metrics:
- Time on page
- Pages per session
- Email signups
- Affiliate link clicks
Long-term metrics:
- Follower growth
- Organic reach increase
- Conversion attribution
Attribution Challenges
The problem: Twitter → Your site → Email signup → Eventually converts How do you attribute that conversion to Twitter?
Solutions:
- UTM parameters on all links
- Track email signup source
- Monitor cohort behavior over time
- Look at overall business impact
Compliance Considerations
Required Elements
In your ads:
- Age targeting compliance
- No misleading claims
- Proper disclosures when needed
- Responsible gambling messaging (when required)
On landing pages:
- Terms and conditions
- Privacy policy
- Responsible gambling resources
- Accurate information
Staying Compliant
Ongoing requirements:
- Monitor for policy changes
- Respond to compliance requests
- Update ads if rules change
- Keep documentation current
If your ad gets disapproved:
- Read the reason carefully
- Adjust creative accordingly
- Re-submit for review
- Appeal if you believe it's compliant
Case Study: What Works
Content Promotion Strategy
Approach:
- Create comprehensive gambling guide
- Promote via Twitter ads targeting gambling interests
- Capture emails with content upgrade
- Convert via email sequence
Sample results:
- $2.50 average CPC
- 15% of visitors sign up for email
- Cost per email: ~$17
- 5% of email list converts to affiliate signup
- Effective cost per conversion: ~$340
Profitability depends on:
- Commission per conversion
- Player lifetime value
- Your content quality
- Email sequence effectiveness
Brand Building Strategy
Approach:
- Run follower campaign
- Post valuable organic content
- Build engaged audience
- Monetize through organic posts
Sample results:
- $1.50 per follower (follower campaign)
- 1,000 followers gained
- 5% of followers eventually convert
- 50 conversions from $1,500 spend
Long-term value:
- Followers see future organic content
- Retweets extend reach
- Authority builds over time
- Lower customer acquisition cost long-term
Common Mistakes
1. Skipping Authorization
Problem: Running gambling ads without approval
Result: Ad disapproval, possible account ban
Solution: Get proper authorization first
2. Direct Affiliate Links in Ads
Problem: Trying to drive direct casino signups through ads
Result: Policy violations, poor conversion anyway
Solution: Promote content, convert on your site
3. Ignoring Geographic Restrictions
Problem: Targeting regions where you shouldn't
Result: Compliance issues
Solution: Target only compliant jurisdictions
4. Misleading Creative
Problem: Exaggerated claims or misleading images
Result: Ad disapproval, trust erosion
Solution: Honest, compliant creative
5. Not Tracking Properly
Problem: No idea if ads are profitable
Solution: UTMs, conversion tracking, attribution modeling
Getting Started Checklist
Before You Start
- Review Twitter's gambling policies
- Identify compliant jurisdictions for your content
- Prepare required documentation
- Apply for authorization (if needed)
Setting Up Campaigns
- Create Twitter Ads account
- Set up conversion tracking
- Build target audiences
- Create compliant ad creative
First Campaign
- Start with content promotion objective
- Set modest budget ($100-300)
- Target relevant interests
- Monitor results closely
Optimization
- Kill underperforming ads quickly
- Scale what works
- Test new creative variations
- Track long-term conversion
Conclusion
Twitter/X offers more gambling advertising opportunities than most platforms, but affiliates need to work within limitations.
What works:
- Content promotion, not direct affiliate ads
- Building following through ads
- Educational content driving email signups
- Brand awareness campaigns
- Compliant creative and targeting
Keys to success:
- Get proper authorization if running gambling ads
- Focus on value-first content
- Track full conversion funnel
- Stay compliant with policies
- Think long-term, not just clicks
Twitter ads can be part of a diversified traffic strategy, especially for building brand presence and promoting quality content.
Looking for programs to promote? PureOdds offers competitive terms. See also our broader guide on paid ads for casino affiliates covering all major platforms.