"This is not a quick decision, it's been discussed for months," said James Cashmore of Google.
"Dennis Woodside Google Vice President and MD, Benelux & Ireland and the team have been reviewing their policies from a legal and user requirement perspective at the local level," he said. "We are confident that the local market will make more decisions in the future."
Many experts see this shift in the large search market as another sign of the economic era. Unrestricting gambling advertising could bring millions of dollars in new revenue not only to Google but also to other major search markets.
Google has very specific rules that allow advertisements, which require advertisers to be registered with the Gambling Commission and provide a valid operating permit. Within the European Economic Area, outside of the UK, you must obtain permission to advertise gambling in your home country. Advertisements can only be made through Google's search results page, not through content network sites, and all gambling ads are automatically classified as Non-Family Safe.
The decision has sparked controversy among political and religious groups. Even if Google does not encourage gambling, the financial crisis is creating money problems.
