Allow restricted categories

In Google Ad Manager, some ad categories (such as, alcohol and gambling) are restricted because of local laws or cultural sensitivities. These ads don't serve in your inventory by default. To show them, you must proactively "opt in" to tell Google you're allowed to host this content. 

Restricted categories eligibility

All inventory-level restricted categories are opted out by default. To opt in to alcohol ads at the inventory level, you must first opt in at the network level. There's no network-level setting for gambling ads.

Alcohol eligibility

Only Ad Manager Publishers in alcohol promotion allowed countries can opt in to receiving alcohol ads. A full list of allowed countries can be found in the Alcohol Advertising Policies.

Serves alcohol ads when ONLY the network setting is enabled	Serves alcohol ads when BOTH network and inventory settings are enabled
Traditional reservations Programmatic Guaranteed (PG)	Open Auctions First Look Private Auctions Preferred Deals Note: Traditional reservations and PG alcohol ad transactions aren't affected by the addition of the inventory setting.

Gambling/betting eligibility

Serves gambling ads regardless of the inventory setting	Serves gambling ads ONLY when the inventory setting is enabled
Publisher-managed Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) Advertiser-managed Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) Preferred Deals (PD) Traditional reservations	Open Auctions First Look Private Auctions Note: Transactions in PG, PD and traditional reservations aren't affected by the inventory setting.

Learn more about transaction types.

Opt in for inventory-level restricted categories

You can opt in to inventory-level restricted categories for "Alcohol" and "Gambling & betting" in your protections. Before you can activate the alcohol opt-in setting at the inventory level, you must first opt-in at the network level.

To opt in to inventory-level restricted categories:

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.

2. Navigate to Brand safety, then Protections.

   Is your menu different? This navigation is being updated in phases. Learn more about what's changing and where to find pages during the transition.
3. Click New protection, and then Ad content.
4. Next to "Settings," enter a name for your opt-in protection.
5. From the "Inventory type" dropdown, select the medium on which you want to allow the display of ads, such as Mobile app.
6. The default is to apply the protection to all inventory. To target specific inventory:
   • Select Only protect specified inventory, click Add targeting, select an item from the dropdown, and make your targeting selections.
   • Learn more about targeting in protections.
7. Under "Opt-ins," click Add next to "Restricted categories."
8. Under "Restricted categories," make your selections:
   • To opt in to alcohol ads, next to "Alcohol," turn the switch on .
   • To opt in to gambling and betting ads, next to "Gambling & Betting," turn the switch  on .
9. Click Update.
10. Add more protections as needed and click Save.

Where can I find these settings?

Alcohol ads settings

To navigate to the Network setting for alcohol ads:

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Admin, then Global settings.
3. Select the Ad Exchange account settings tab and scroll to "Alcohol policies,"  locate the switch.

To navigate to the Inventory setting for alcohol ads:

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Brand safety, then Protections.
3. Click New protection, and in the dropdown click Ad content.
4. Scroll to "Op-ins," and next to "Restricted categories," click Add, then for "Alcohol," locate the switch.

Gambling ads settings

To navigate to the Inventory setting for gambling ads:

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Brand safety, then Protections.
3. Click New protection, and in the dropdown click Ad content.
4. Scroll to "Op-ins," and next to "Restricted categories," click Add, then for "Gambling & Betting (18+)," locate the switch.