How to work with Facebook ad restrictions

The Meta ecosystem (Facebook/Instagram/Audiences/Ads Manager) provides powerful coverage, but real-money gambling is especially strict. Without the correct licensing base, "hygiene" of accounts, compliance creatives and customized server tracking, you risk bans, data loss and freezing budgets. Below is a practical technique adapted for casino/sports.

1) Permit base and general restrictions

What you need in advance:

1. Permission to advertise gambling (whitelisting) for each legal entity/brand and for specific countries of display.

2. Operator licenses and links to the page with legal information (terms, licenses, Responsible Gaming).

3. Age restrictions 18 +/21 + depending on GEO.

4. Target only permitted countries and only adults.

5. Landing without "false promises," with visible disclaimers (18 +, RG, bonus conditions, no violations).

You can't: promise "easy money," use aggressive before/after, hint at "guaranteed winnings," turn to personal attributes ("you are poor/unemployed - earn"), mask the vertical.

2) Documents and path to admission (short checklist)

Legal entity details and lawyer/compliance contact.
Copies/license references (or right to operate/promote in target countries).
List of GEOs requested (white only).
Product description (casino/sports/live), proof of site address, domain and subdomains.
Responsible Gambling page, bonus rules, limits/self exclusion.
Privacy/Consent/Cookies policy.
Confirmed by Business Manager, 2FA, domain verification configured by Conversion API.

💡 It is useful to have separate "showcase pages" with strictly compliant content, fixed posts with RG disclaimers.

3) "Hygiene" of Meta infrastructure

Business Manager (BM):

Confirm the company (Business Verification).
Enable 2FA for all employees, differentiate roles (RBAC), use work mail.
Link an official domain, go through Domain Verification, confirm branded pages.
Configure Aggregated Event Measurement: 8 prioritized events, enable Conversion API (server-side duplicate pixel).
Keep the limits (span, number of ads) in the green zone, fix the exit from the lurning with stability.

Individual tips:

Separate regions/GEO by campaign (so as not to mix allowed and prohibited).
For A/B, keep ABO/CBO separate, do not overload the number of creatives in one ad set.
Keep Page Quality high: Complaining/hiding posts is a direct route to restrictions.

4) Creative guide for politics (what you can/cannot)

You can (approximate angles):

"Play responsibly. 21+. Licensed. Site Terms Bonus"
"Sports/tournament line. Read the rules. 18+. Conditions apply"
"Entertainment, tournaments, gameplay" - without promises of income.

You cannot:

"Guaranteed to earn," "100% success," "return money when losing" without exact conditions.
Put pressure on personal attributes: poverty, illness, age stereotypes.
Images of wads of money, casino romanticization with alcohol/erotica, shock content.

Technical details:

Text on creative ≤20 -25% of the area is safer for moderation.
In the video, there is an explicit RG disclaimer at the end (and/or in post-copy).
Always duplicate bonus terms "18 +/21 + only. Wagering X. Rules apply"
Localization: language/currency/legal wording under GEO (different age thresholds!).

5) Landing, domain, speed and legal blocks

The Landing shall contain:

Visible 18 +/Responsible Gaming, bonus rules (including wagering), support contacts.
References to licenses/regulator, privacy policy, terms and conditions.
Cookie/Consent banner (real consent settings).
Core Web Vitals - slow speed = low Engagement → negative signal and risk of limitations.

Prohibited: redirects to "gray" domains, content substitution after moderation, cloaking.

6) Targeting and age filters

Target only permitted countries and 18 +/21 +.

Exclude incompatible interests/audiences, do not use sensitive categories.

For app promotion: follow the app store requirements, age rating, correct deeplink.

7) Data tracking and robustness

Duplicate the Conversion API client pixel (server-side): less post-iOS loss and better attribution quality.

Follow Event Match Quality (EMQ): email/phone/extern_id with consents.

Hold 3-5 key events: 'ViewContent → Registration → KYC → FTD → 2nd_Dep'.

Set alerts to drop events/out of sync (delay> 15 minutes = check).

8) Typical causes of interlocks and how to prevent them

1. GEO/age mismatch → target and page verification.

2. Aggressive promises → rewrite the mines, add conditions, RG-footer.

3. Weak landing (no legal block) → add licenses, bonus conditions.

4. Frequent deviations (learning incomplete, high complaint rate) → reduce the frequency, improve relevance.

5. Suspicious BM activity (mass roles/logins) → put things in order in accesses, 2FA.

6. Substitution of domain/creativity after moderation → strict ban, audit of deplores.

9) Appeals and unblocks (practice)

Before appeal:

Fix the problem (deviation screen, ad ID), correct the cause (copy/image/target/landing).
Prepare a package of evidence: permission to gamble, licenses, links to RG pages, screenshots of age settings.
File a specific appeal stating what exactly is fixed.

If rejected again:

Ask for manual verification through Ads support.
Temporarily suspend similar creatives/targets to reduce the "degree" of risk.
Separate campaigns by GEO/format to isolate the source of the problem.

10) Operational templates (mini playbooks)

10. 1. Required items in post-copy/description

«18+/21+. Play responsibly. Conditions apply. Details on site"

A brief indication of the terms of the bonus (including wagering/limits/deadlines).

Link to rules/responsible play (visible in the first landing screen).

10. 2. Creative Release Checklist

No promises of income/guarantees, no wads of money/erotica/alcohol
Localization of text/currency/age under GEO
RG Disclaimer and Bonus Terms
Video ≤15 -30 s, hook in the first 2-3 s without "red flags"
Domain/brand/creative match (no cloaking)

10. 3. Campaign Launch Checklist

Gambling Permit (for this VM/Page/Domain)
Target: GEO permitted only, age 18 +/21 +
Pixel + Conversion API; EMQ at least "Good"
Aggregated events and priority
Separate campaigns for different GEO/formats
Budget and frequency limits for a smooth exit from learning

11) Account and creative "health" metrics

Ad Relevance/Quality ranking - hold on medium/high.

Negative feedback rate - reduce frequency/relevance/promises.

Approval rate for creatives> 90%.

Share deviations <5% of ads.

Stable delivery: exit learning, low CPM/CPC fluctuations with the same targets.

12) 30-60-90 plan for iGaming brand

0-30 days - Tolerances and base

Build a package of licenses/RG pages, verify VM/domain, request permission to gamble with GEO listing.

Bring the landing to the requirements (disclaimers, bonus conditions, privacy/consent).

Configure pixel + Conversion API, Aggregated Event Measurement.

Prepare 6-8 complimentary creatives (static/video), 2-3 corners each.

31-60 days - Start and stability

Run GEO/age only campaigns, isolation by cluster.

Monitor deviations and complaints, quickly roll out edits.

Stabilize delivery (ABO→CBO), gently increase span, check EMQ.

Build an internal report on the approval rate/quality/complaints.

61-90 days - Scale and audit

Expand the creative pool and formats, add retarget (only compliant segments).

Audit VM/Roles/Security, enable Copy/Landing AutoChecks.

Standardize launch/appeal/creative review playbooks, train the team.

13) Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

1. There is no permission to gamble, but there is a launch - almost guaranteed bans.

2. Mixing GEO (allowed and prohibited) in one ad set.

3. Landing without conditions/licenses - "false promises," high risk of complaints.

4. Cloaking/content substitution after moderation - long-term sanctions on BM.

5. Lack of Conversion API/low EMQ - weak optimization, unnecessary deviations.

6. Aggressive promises/money icons are a marker for moderation/complaints.

7. Access mess - common accounts, no 2FA, sharp logins from risk countries.

Working with Facebook restrictions is not a "fight against moderation," but a compliance process: permission to gamble, clean GEO/age, legally correct landings, neat creatives and a transparent technical base (pixel + Conversion API). Add to this the "hygiene" of BM and a well-functioning appeal playbook - and you have a stable, scalable channel that withstands checks and gives a predictable economy.