X Policy Update Prohibits Paid Gambling Partnerships
Elon Musk’s X social media platform has implemented significant changes to its paid partnership policy, including a ban on gambling-related promotions.
Under revised rules, X now prohibits gambling-related businesses from using paid partnership posts to reach their X-based audiences. The new policy marks a significant shift in how affiliates, gambling operators, and content creators can operate on the site, formerly branded Twitter.
As detailed in the company’s Help Center, gambling is among a long list of products barred from paid partnership promotions. In practice, this means influencers and content creators can no longer partner with gambling, lottery, or related services on paid promotional posts. The rules apply whether the creator discloses the content as an “ad” or a “promotional post”, as X requires for permitted products and services.
Notably, the changes affect only paid partnerships, not traditional advertising placed through X’s advertising platform, which operates under a separate policy.
Violations Could End in Account Suspension
X defines paid partnerships as “the involvement of a third-party brand providing compensation or incentives to a user, such as an influencer or content creator, to promote their product or service.”
This includes mentions or endorsements of products or services that:
- Are gifted by or on behalf of a brand.
- Involve monetary or in-kind compensation
- Generate a commission through the use of tools like affiliate links or discount codes
- Involve a commercial agreement (ex. brand ambassadorship)
In addition to “gambling products and services (including lotteries, social casinos, sports betting, and other gambling-related content),” these verticals are also included in the “prohibited industries” list:
- Adult and sexual products and services
- Alcoholic beverages and related accessories
- Contraceptives
- Dating & Marriage Services
- Drugs and drug-related products or services
- Financial products, services, or opportunities
- Geo-political, political, and social issues or crises for commercial purposes
- Health and wellness supplements
- Pharmaceutical and medicine-related products or services
- Tobacco and tobacco-related products or services
- Weapons and weapons-related products or services
- Weight loss products, services, and content focused on weight loss
As a caveat, the policy notes that X will consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis, subject to applicable restrictions. However, companies seeking an exception must go through an internal sales representative.
Without that exception, gambling-related operators and brands will have to shift from paid partnership promotions to traditional ads in line with X advertising standards. Alternatively, they’ll have to redirect promotional activities away from X entirely or face consequences for policy violations.
Those who do violate the rules face content removal or temporary account restrictions, such as read-only status. Repeat offenders risk account suspension.
The impact of the policy shift depends on the consistency with which X applies and enforces the rules, which is currently unknown.
Gambling Brands Increasingly Rely on Social Promo
The policy shift comes as gambling platforms and prediction markets face growing scrutiny over online promotions that increasingly rely on social media.
In late 2025, crypto-based prediction market platform Polymarket landed in the spotlight after an unofficial social media account posted to users in India, Nigeria, and Turkey using alleged racist language. In response to immediate backlash, Polymarket’s chief legal officer posted an apology on X, taking “full responsibility,” and deeming the post “unacceptable.”
Kalshi, a Polymarket competitor, faced similar criticism after several affiliated X accounts shared antisemitic posts. Kalshi responded by condemning the material and revoking the accounts’ affiliate status.
X entered into a deal with Polymarket in June 2025, making the prediction market the social platform’s official prediction market partner.
Through that deal, Polymarket and X shared data to inform news updates and prediction market recommendations. Polymarket users also have X’s Grok AI to assist with trade insights and context.
At the time, the announcement came as a surprise because Polymarket was not legally available in the US. However, about six weeks later, the company acquired QCEX, a little-known derivative exchange and clearinghouse. The purchase cleared the way for Polymarket’s US return.
Where prediction markets fall under X’s paid partnership policy is a little fuzzy. They don’t appear to be part of the gambling category. Prediction markets also are not specifically mentioned, but seem to fit, among the financial products noted in the prohibited industries list: “financial products, services or opportunities (including loans, investment services, crypto, buy now pay later services and other financial-related content).”
Gambling Insider has reached out to X, Polymarket, and Kalshi for comment.
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