Google has just released their 2024 Ads Safety Report and the numbers are crazy: 5.1 billion ads removed. 39.2 million advertiser accounts suspended and ads blocked or restricted on over 2.1 billion publisher pages. This is a big increase from previous years and shows Google is cracking down on ad policy enforcement.

According to the announcement, most of the removals were for finance, trademark abuse, adult content and misrepresentation. For example, Google has expanded their “Limited Ads Serving” policy to over 330 million advertiser accounts.

The platform has also scaled up their automated enforcement, improved machine learning algorithms and introduced 31 new policies last year. These include new rules for financial services, election related content and unverified or misleading claims in sensitive verticals.

Also, Google removed or blocked 146 million ads that violated its policies in the Gambling and Games category.

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What Does This Mean for Affiliates?

Launching on Google is getting more risky and resource intensive — especially in “tough” verticals like gambling, dating, crypto, nutra and finance. The margin for error is tiny and bans are final. It’s not just about writing compliant ad copy anymore; your entire funnel, landing pages and even offer selection are under the microscope.

Here’s what this means for affiliates in practice:

  • Launching on Google is getting harder: Automated bans, strict policies and new rules make approval a major hurdle.
  • “Tough” verticals are under fire: Expect trouble if you promote gambling, crypto, nutra, finance or dating — even with “clean” creatives.
  • Ad networks are the safer bet: Affiliate friendly platforms let you run campaigns with fewer restrictions and more room to test.
  • Diversification is key: Relying on Google alone is a risky game. Smart affiliates are spreading traffic across push, pop, native and other ad formats.
  • Compliance is no longer optional: From landing pages to creatives, everything must be polished and policy aware to avoid suspensions.