Gambling operators must adapt to paid partnership changes on X

Khizar Mundia Published 20/02/2026

Paid partnerships on X have had great potential value for gambling operators in their marketing and advertising efforts, but the platform’s new changes will require betting operators to adjust their approach to remain in compliance.

News has been circulating that social media giant X has made substantial changes to its paid partnerships requirements, notably targeting gambling ads in the process. These ads are a great way for gambling marketers to reach and attract a larger audience while making money.

The change isn’t a one-off either, as other larger corporations including Google have also tightened their rules around the marketing of gambling and online betting practices. While X hasn’t outright banned gambling ads, gambling operators on the platform will need to understand the changes to continue advertising there.

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How X paid partnership changes will affect gambling companies

Gambling operators and companies have at times used paid partnership on X to get content creators and influencers to share affiliate codes and generate platform clicks using links. This could work better than normal ads, as the promotional content might appear in a user’s feeds just as would normal posts.

But X’s new guidelines restrict gambling marketers using this paid partnership route. This means creators can no longer post affiliate content, referral links, or any other promotion while using paid partnerships.

Image credit: Canva

X hasn’t completely restricted gambling operators from advertising on the platform, as they can use the traditional ad system. That will not only make gambling ads more costly on X, it will also serve to better establish the platform’s control over the types of gambling ads that can be shown. Only licensed operators will be allowed to run such ad campaigns, thereby limiting options for operators who lack such approvals and the creator accounts they had partnered with.

These ads will also need to be in compliance with both regional laws and the X’s own policies. This move isn’t necessarily meant to dramatically curb or limit gambling ads, but rather to get the betting content and advertising better under control and more tightly regulated.

Paid partnership posts were typically made by sponsored casino streamers and other gambling influencers, and relative to more traditional ad campaigns these posts could at times be both cheaper and more effective for operators. Those same companies will now need to either adapt to X’s revised requirements, or find other outlets for their marketing spend.

This latest restriction on gambling ads aligns with a broader industry trend that is affecting betting marketing. Tech giant Google has also recently changed its policies, requiring gambling operators be licensed and certified in order to advertise on any of its platforms, including YouTube. Betting operators are also required to comply with local laws and regulations, and ensure responsible gambling disclaimers are shown when and where required.

X is only the latest to add similar limitations to gambling marketing, and it likely won’t be the last platform to do so as companies adjust to the increasing prevalence and reach of betting and gambling companies.

Feature image credit: X

Khizar Mundia

About Khizar Mundia

Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.

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