Lynnae Williams Journalist
Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
Read Full BioX has quietly updated its Paid Partnerships Policy to bar influencers, content creators, and brands from using the platform’s paid partnership tools to promote gambling products and services, including lotteries, social casinos, sports betting, and other gambling-related content.
The company’s policy defines a paid partnership as content a user posts in return for compensation or incentives from a third-party brand. Everything from affiliate commissions and discount codes to gifted products and ambassador-style commercial agreements would come under that category under the new rules.
The policies for paid partnerships and advertising differ on X, so content that’s prohibited under paid partnerships may still be allowed under X Ads in some cases.
For creators and affiliates who use referral links or promo codes, the updated policy will come as a real blow, as it’ll cut off one of the most common ways gambling brands have worked with influencers on the platform.
Violations of the new rules can trigger a number of enforcement actions, ranging from the removal of the prohibited post and temporary restrictions to account suspensions. However, there are potential expectations that the social media platform will consider “on a case-by-case basis,” subject to restrictions.
How Other Tech Platforms Treat Gambling Promotions
X isn’t alone with its clampdown on how gambling-related products can be marketed on its platform. Instead, its policy update puts it on the same page as other major tech companies that have put guardrails in place around gambling promotions, especially when money’s involved, and the content is effectively an advertisement.
Recent changes to Google’s Gambling and Games Advertising Policy are an example of a similar push to tighten definitions and close loopholes, including how certain “sweepstakes” or social-casino-style models are categorized under its advertising policies.
On Meta, before a business partner, creator, or publisher promotes real-money gambling, Facebook must approve it in writing. TikTok’s advertising policies also restrict gambling and related monetized content. YouTube has moved to limit creators from directing viewers to unapproved gambling sites, including restrictions on mentions, logos, and links.
These policies aren’t all the same, but they do point in the same direction: platforms are increasingly cautious about gambling marketing that looks like paid promotion, even when it shows up inside “organic” creator posts.
