Breaking Barriers: Overcoming Audience Targeting Challenges in Sports Betting

How TrafficGuard helps operators maximise their PPC budgets within Google’s gambling policies
The sports betting industry plays a different game when it comes to paid search advertising. While other industries fine-tune audience segmentation and optimise bids with granular data, sports betting operators are stuck navigating a regulatory minefield. Google’s strict advertising policies mean operators can’t build audience lists, retarget users, or even segment traffic effectively. The result? Broad, inefficient campaigns and wasted ad spend.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no way to win. TrafficGuard’s Sports Betting solution is built to help operators work within these limitations—keeping ad budgets focused on acquiring new customers instead of being drained by repeat clicks from existing users. Here’s how smart operators are turning these restrictions into an advantage.
Why Google Limits Audience Targeting in Sports Betting
Google’s restrictions on audience building aren’t arbitrary—they’re about compliance, user protection, and maintaining platform integrity. Gambling is a tightly regulated industry, and ad policies are designed to ensure that advertising stays responsible, legal, and ethical. Here’s why these rules exist:
- Platform Integrity – Google wants a safe, transparent advertising ecosystem—especially in industries where consumer protection is a priority.
- Legal Compliance – Many jurisdictions impose strict rules on gambling ads. Google needs to ensure its platform doesn’t inadvertently target minors or users in restricted regions.
- User Protection – By blocking audience lists and retargeting, Google minimises the risk of ads reaching vulnerable users, such as those with gambling addiction.
- Misleading Advertising Prevention – Restrictions prevent aggressive marketing tactics that could push users into excessive betting.
These restrictions may make audience targeting harder, but they don’t make it impossible. The key is knowing where to optimise—starting with click frequency.
The Real Impact: What These Restrictions Mean for Operators
Without audience targeting, sports betting operators face major challenges in running efficient campaigns:
- Broad Targeting = Budget Waste – With no way to exclude returning users, operators spend big on people who already have accounts.
- No Retargeting = Lost Conversions – High-intent users slip away because they can’t be re-engaged.
- No Bid Modifiers = Less Optimisation – Operators can’t prioritise new players over existing ones, leading to inefficient spend.
- Missed Audience Insights = Missed Opportunities – No segmentation means no way to identify high-value users.
A staggering 97% of clicks on brand search keywords come from returning users—meaning operators are essentially paying for customers to log in rather than acquiring new ones. That’s where TrafficGuard changes the game.
How TrafficGuard Helps Operators Navigate Google’s Restrictions
TrafficGuard ensures sports betting operators can still run effective PPC campaigns by preventing ad budgets from being drained by repeat clicks. The secret? Click-frequency controls that enforce smarter spending.
Custom Click-Level Frequency Controls
TrafficGuard’s technology allows operators to limit how often users click on their PPC ads, ensuring budget isn’t wasted on existing customers.
The Benefits:
✅ Prioritise new users – Redirect budget to fresh acquisitions, not repeat visits.
✅ Reduce wasted ad spend – Stop ads from being expensive login shortcuts.
✅ Optimise campaign efficiency – Ensure every click is driving real value.
See how it works.
Case Study: How a Leading European Bookmaker Slashed Acquisition Costs by 42.4%
One of Europe’s largest sportsbooks was bleeding ad spend on brand search campaigns. 43% of their budget was being eaten up by existing customers clicking on branded PPC ads to access their accounts—crippling new customer acquisition.
The Fix:
With TrafficGuard’s click-frequency rules, they capped returning users at three PPC ad clicks per day—a simple tweak with game-changing results.
The Results:
📉 Cost per conversion dropped by 42.4% (€246 → €141)
💰 12X ROI, even before factoring in the lifetime value of new players
🔍 Better keyword performance – Brand searches stopped cannibalising ad spend
This wasn’t just an efficiency boost—it was a competitive advantage.
Thriving in a Regulated Landscape
While Google’s restrictions may feel like a roadblock, they actually create an opportunity for smarter, more strategic advertising. Operators who adapt—by prioritising budget efficiency, compliance, and fraud prevention—will come out on top.
How TrafficGuard Helps Operators Win:
✅ Stop wasted ad spend – Ensure every dollar goes towards real growth.
✅ Stay compliant – Adhere to Google’s policies and avoid penalties.
✅ Boost campaign performance – Advanced tools optimise PPC spend for maximum returns.
“TrafficGuard's meticulous validation impressed us, uncovering diverse 'bot' traffic. Not just basic human-mimicking bots, but even those targeting sign-up bonuses. Their advanced tool flagged 43%+ PPC funnel invalid traffic, surpassing competitors.” William Hill.
The Takeaway: Winning in a Restricted Space
Google’s audience-targeting restrictions force sports betting operators to rethink their PPC strategy. Instead of fighting the system, the smart move is adapting to it—and optimising spend where it matters.
💡 New user acquisition must be the focus – Operators need smarter ways to drive fresh traffic, not just recycle old customers.
💡 Fraud protection is critical – Invalid traffic skews performance and burns budgets fast.
💡 Budget optimisation is the real game-changer – With tools like click-frequency controls, operators can cut costs and improve ROI.
For more information on how TrafficGuard supports sports betting advertisers, visit our Sports Betting Solution page.
Ready to overcome audience-building challenges? Connect with us today!
FAQs
1. How does TrafficGuard help reduce invalid traffic for sports betting operators?
TrafficGuard uses advanced click-level analysis to identify and block invalid traffic in real time. This includes bots, repeat clicks from existing users, and fraudulent activity that inflates ad spend. By proactively preventing invalid traffic, TrafficGuard ensures your budget is spent only on genuine, high-value users.
2. What makes TrafficGuard’s click-frequency controls unique for Google PPC campaigns?
TrafficGuard’s click-frequency controls allow operators to set custom thresholds for how many times a user can click on PPC ads. This helps limit ad spend on returning users who offer no incremental value, redirecting the budget to attract new customers instead.
3. Can TrafficGuard help sports betting operators comply with Google’s gambling policies?
Yes, TrafficGuard’s solutions are designed to operate within Google’s strict gambling policies. By reducing invalid traffic and optimising campaigns, TrafficGuard ensures compliance while improving performance and ROI.
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