From October 21, 2026, Google Ads will allow online lottery ads in Colombia. Google announced the change on October 5: lotteries are being added to the list of gambling products permitted in the country. Only legal operators with regulator approval and Google certification will be able to run ads.
What's allowed in Colombia
Google isn't opening gambling in Colombia from scratch: online casino and betting ads were already allowed there. The list currently has seven categories, and lotteries become the eighth:
- slot machines;
- roulette, blackjack and baccarat;
- bingo and poker;
- sports betting;
- online lotteries, new from October 21.
Who can advertise
You can't just open a Google Ads account and start buying traffic. There are several layers of checks:
- Coljuegos registration and a valid license, the general requirement for online gambling operators in Colombia.
- CNJSA authorization (Consejo Nacional de Juegos de Suerte y Azar), a separate requirement for lottery operators. CNJSA sets the rules for the country's lotteries, and Google asks for its authorization.
- Google Ads certification under the Gambling and games policy. Without it, ads won't serve even with a local license.
The notice doesn't say whether lottery operators also need Coljuegos registration or whether CNJSA authorization is enough. The final requirements will appear on the policy page on October 21.
What it means for affiliates
Nothing changes for grey campaigns: without a Colombian license and Google certification, lottery ads won't get approved. This news matters to licensed lottery operators and to those who work with them directly or through agencies.
- A new channel for lotteries. Google search traffic is high-intent: people look up a lottery or a specific draw themselves, so Search could become the main source for these products.
- The auction will get pricier. If several big operators jump in during the first weeks, cost per click on lottery keywords will rise. Watch CPC and player acquisition cost.
- Launches won't be instant. Operators need to gather documents and get certified, so large-scale campaigns may not appear right after October 21.
Colombia was one of the first countries in Latin America to legalize online gambling, so Google is simply aligning its rules with local law. The platform has taken similar steps with lottery and gambling ads in other countries, including Lithuania, Peru, Ukraine and Puerto Rico. Keep the broader 2026 changes in mind too: certification is only granted to accounts in good policy standing, and each country needs a separate application.