Our advertising partner has the following guidelines for what is allowed, conditional, and prohibited for sensitive industries. If you are considered a sensitive industry, there may be additional requirements for authorization.
Sensitive Industries:
- Adult
- Alcohol
- Cannabis
- CBD
- COVID Products or Services
- Cryptocurrency/Blockchain
- Explosives, Firearms, and Weapons
- Financial Products and Services
- Gambling and Games
- Healthcare and Medicines
- Political
- Recreational Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia (non-cannabis)
- Tobacco and Nicotine Products
- Weight Loss
Adult
Allowed countries for targeting: Canada, US
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Lingerie and intimates
- Safe sex education, family planning, HIV/STD awareness
- News and information related to sex and sexuality that is not sexual in nature
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Dating sites
- Businesses for Adult entertainment (strip clubs)
- Sex toys and other intimate adult products
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Pornography
- Overtly sexually suggestive text, image, video, audio
- Escort services, mail-order brides, erotic massage, or similar services
- Penis or breast enhancement products or services
The following requirements apply to Adult advertising:
- Advertising does not include crude language or profanity
- Advertising does not come with an “18 USC 2257” notice
- Apply Age Targeting for users 18+
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
- Must not appear sexually explicit or pornographic in nature
- Must not include nudity, videos, and/or images of people in sexually suggestive or provocative positions
- Must not promote or facilitate sex for compensation
- Must not include sexually explicit cartoon images, such as hentai or ecchi
- Must not include sexually explicit text, including jokes, erotic stories, and descriptions of sexual acts
- Must not contain images of people wearing see-through garments
Alcohol
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Alcohol accessories (bottle openers, shot glasses, etc...)
- Breweries, wineries, distillery branding, tours and tastings
- Recipes for alcohol, cocktails, or alcohol based-food
- Home brewing kits
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Promoting, selling, or facilitating online or offline sale of any kind of alcoholic beverage
- Branding, information, competitions with alcohol as a prize
The following requirements apply to Alcohol advertising:
- Legal drinking age disclaimer on creative media, or in headline/body
- Apply Age Targeting for the legal drinking age
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
- Advertisers must be licensed or hold valid permits for services provided in the targeted country
- Must not encourage the general consumption of alcohol
- Must not promote the irresponsible or illegal use of alcohol
- Must not associate alcohol with social or personal achievement
- Must not be directed to persons under the legal drinking age
- Must not associate alcohol with the use of motor vehicles or with activities requiring a significant degree of skill or care
- Must not link alcohol with seduction, sexual activity or sexual success nor imply that alcohol can enhance attractiveness
- Must not portray Alcohol as capable of changing mood, physical condition or behavior or as a source of nourishment
Cannabis
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- B2C Sale or promotion of all medical or recreational cannabis products (flowers, edibles, oils and extracts)
- B2B (growing equipment, labeling, etc.)
- Investment
- Pipes and Bongs
- Grinders, rolling papers, and other cannabis accessories
- Delta THC products will be considered Cannabis
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Forums to exchange drug tips and use
- All Cannabis advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
The following requirements apply to Cannabis advertising:
- Advertisers must be licensed or hold valid permits for services provided in the targeted country
- Apply Age Targeting for 21+
- Inventory Packages and “Run only on these packages” enabled (See Inventory Packages for specific setup)
- Advertisement is free of any glamorization/health benefits
- Advertisement is free from appeal to young people
- Advertisement is free from association with Nicotine, Tobacco, Alcoholic products, or accessories
- Advertisement is free from any association of Cannabis with the use of motor vehicles or with activities requiring a significant degree of skill or care
- A method of age verification before accessing the landing page
CBD
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- B2C Sale or promotion of all medical or recreational cannabis products (flowers, edibles, oils and extracts)
- B2B (growing equipment, labeling, etc…)
- Investment
- Pipes and bongs
- Grinders, rolling papers, and other cannabis accessories
- Delta THC products will be considered Cannabis
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Forums to exchange drug tips and use
- All CBD advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
The following requirements apply to CBD advertising:
- Advertisers must be licensed or hold valid permits for services provided in the targeted country
- Inventory Packages and “Run only on these packages” enabled (See Inventory packages for specific setup)
- Age targeting (See country-specific requirements below)
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
- Be free of any depiction of the consumption of the product
- Be free of any association with Nicotine, Tobacco, Alcoholic products, or accessories
- Be free of any health claims (Ex. treatment of illnesses)
- Be free of any glamorization/health benefits
- Be free of any appeal to young people
- Not associate CBD with the use of motor vehicles or with activities requiring a significant degree of skill or care
COVID Products or Services
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Advertisers promoting business updates related to COVID
- Governmental campaigns related to public safety
- Non-medical Face Masks
- Sanitizers for personal use
- Fundraising content is allowed if promoted by reputable organizations
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Products or services approved by Health Authorities
- Sanitizers for commercial use
- Testing or Treatment for COVID (Ex. Clinical trials)
- Political messaging related to COVID
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Recalled products
The following requirements apply to COVID-19 advertising:
- Disclaimers may be required if the advertiser has obligations to disclose information beforehand to users (Ex. Campaigns about clinical trials, vaccinations for COVID treatment, or approved face masks. Not required for reusable cloth face masks)
- Titles can mention coronavirus or lockdown if they are written in a neutral or positive manner
- Advertising must not contain sensationalized headlines or misinformation that may cause panic or fear
- Advertising must not claim to boost your immune system for the purpose of preventing COVID-19
- Must not invite consumers to diagnose themselves
- Must not falsely claim that a product or practice is able to prevent, cure or reverse the effects of coronavirus
Cryptocurrency/Blockchain
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Business not pertaining to the purchase, holding, or exchange of cryptocurrencies (Ex. Cryptocurrency mining hardware, Tax, and legal services, businesses that accept payment in cryptocurrency, platforms that rely on blockchain for operations and do not market or sell cryptocurrencies or tokens)
- Cryptocurrency Exchanges and Wallets
- Events, education, and news related to cryptocurrency (where no cryptocurrency products or services are on offer)
- Blockchain technology news (aggregators not permitted)
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Ad destinations that provide signals for the trading of complex speculative financial products (Ex. Cryptocurrency trading signals, cryptocurrency investment advice, aggregators or affiliate sites containing related content or broker reviews)
- Specific cryptocurrency coins/tokens including Initial coin offerings (ICO) pre-sales or public offerings
- Cryptocurrency loans
- Decentralized Exchanges (DEX) offerings
- Decentralized Finance (DeFi) trading protocols, or otherwise promoting the purchase, sale, or trade of cryptocurrencies or related products
- Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) and marketplaces
- Unregulated DApps; Staking or liquidity pools, mixers, and tumblers
- Non-hardware crypto mining products and services
- Trading bots
- Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) without any centralized legal entity providing the products and services
- All Cryptocurrency and Blockchain advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
Products and services may only be advertised if the advertiser is a licensed provider, and the products and ads comply with local laws and industry standards.
The following requirements apply to Cryptocurrency and Blockchain advertising:
- Advertisers must be licensed by the appropriate regulatory body in the target geo
- Advertisers must ensure Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know-your-client (KYC) best practices are followed
- Age targeting for 18+
- Make realistic, and unexaggerated, and should substantiate any claims
- Avoid mentioning offering high-margin trading facilities (Ex. Offering "50x" or "100x" leverage)
- Not promise guaranteed financial returns on speculative investments
- Not target minors or protected classes
- Not encourage investment in one particular coin, token, NFT, or crypto product specifically, in such a way that attempts to artificially pump volume into that particular product or otherwise engages in "pump and dump"/“rug pull” activities Not suggest or imply that the advertiser is regulated or associated with a particular regulator when this is not the case
- Not advise or imply that users can be trained to control risk
- Not advise or imply that these products can solve financial difficulties or provide "financial freedom"
- Do not use Images that show minors or any elements that could target minors; do not contain any hidden fees
- Provide necessary disclosures in order to convey the potential risk when trading cryptocurrency*
*It must be clear that users are being asked to make an investment that can lose money
Ex. “Trading involves significant risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience and risk appetite before making a decision to trade with us. Most importantly, do not invest money you cannot afford to lose.”
Note: it is the advertiser’s responsibility to consult with their lawyers and include all risk notices required to comply with all applicable local laws and regulations. Do not share any of the sample language above without encouraging advertisers to consult their own lawyers.
Explosives, Firearms, and Weapons
Allowed countries for targeting: Canada, US
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Military recruitment
- Gear and accessories for the purpose of hunting
- Firearm parts and accessories that increase the safety of a gun
- Antique weapons
- Fireworks
- Airsoft and paintball guns
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Instructions on making bombs
- Sale of firearms
- Firearm parts and accessories including ammunition
- Products designed to injure (knives, brass knuckles, tasers, pepper spray)
- All Explosives, Firearms, and Weapons advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
The following requirements apply for Explosives, Firearm, and Weapon advertising:
- Apply Age Targeting for users 18+
- Must not contain any violence, explosions, or explicit imagery
- Must not incite fear or panic by use of imagery or text
- Must not contain imagery of guns
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
Financial Products and Services
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Retail banks that offer standard banking services
- Licensed mortgage and loan businesses
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Payday/Short term financing loans
- Debt settlement or management services
- Stock picks, binary options, and other stock market-related investments
- FinTech companies or Online Payment Platforms and providers of payment infrastructure for merchants and Payment Service Providers
- For Cryptocurrency/Blockchain related advertisers, see Cryptocurrency/Blockchain above
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Ad destinations that provide signals for the trading of complex speculative financial products (ex. Trading signals, tips, or speculative trading information, or affiliate sites containing related content or broker reviews)
- Personal loans with an APR over 36%
- Credit repair services
- Unlicensed financial advice
- Ads that promote financial products and services must comply with all appropriate laws and industry standards. Certain promotional obligations or other financial risk disclaimers may be required for your campaign.
The following requirements apply to Financial Services and Products advertising:
- Must not be predatory towards sensitive groups
- Must not make any exaggerated money-making claims (Ex. “Become a Millionaire in 6 Months”, “Get Rich with 3 Simple Steps”)
- Must not make false promises
- Must not advise or imply that users can get rich through product use
- Must not advise or imply that users can be trained to control risk
- Must not advise or imply that these products can solve financial difficulties or provide "financial freedom"; Use “easy,” “fool-proof,” or “low risk” language in thumbnails, headlines, on the landing page or at any point in the user funnel
- Cannot guarantee returns
- Cannot use unrelated creative images that indicate wealth, like cars, yachts or extravagant living (Images of money or investment charts are permissible)
- Cannot use images that show minors or any elements that could target minors
- Must not contain any hidden fees
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
Gambling and Games
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Offline casinos including hotel, entertainment, or poker events
- Online casinos with play money (or access to play with real currency)
- Gambling accessories (poker chips, pachinko machines)
- News and information about fantasy sports
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Online casinos using real money
- Sports betting platforms
- Sites dedicated to gambling educational material including calculators, betting strategies, handicapping, or sports picks
- Daily Fantasy Sports
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Unlicensed gambling including E-sports skin betting
- All Gambling operators must be licensed by a relevant Licensing Authority and hold valid permits.
Advertisers may advertise in the specific region that they are licensed in.
The following requirements apply to Gambling advertisements:
- Apply Age Targeting for the legal gambling age
- Must be licensed by the appropriate regulatory body in the target geo
- A method of age verification to access gambling services
- Contain a responsible gaming message, along with a toll-free help line number where practical
- Not contain images, symbols, endorsements and/or language designed to appeal specifically to children and minors
- Be truthful and not deceptive
- Not promote irresponsible or excessive participation
- Not associate gambling with alcohol and tobacco products
- Not suggest that social, financial or personal success is guaranteed by engaging in gambling
- Not imply or suggest any illegal activity of any kind
Healthcare and Medicines
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Hospitals, medical, dental, and other healthcare practices
- Authorized pharmacies
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Pharmaceutical manufacturers and supplies
- Over-the-counter medication
- Prescription drugs (US only)
- Clinical trial recruitment
- Regulated medical devices
- Health and dietary supplements
- Prenatal products and services including abortion
- Medical and cosmetic services including Botox, cool sculpting, or plastic surgery
- Addiction services
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Ketamine and other drug-related clinics
The following requirements apply to Healthcare and Medicine advertising:
- Cannot include suggestions regarding a concrete outcome and using language and words such as "cure", "prevent" or "stop"
- Must not suggest that guaranteed results can be achieved
- Must not make any claims regarding the effectiveness or health benefits of the product or service
- Must not imply the product or service is harmless or downplay its risks
For Over the Counter (OTC) Medications
- Must include a disclaimer or provide clear communication of risk (Ex. “Talk to your doctor for more information”; “Use only as directed”; “Should not be taken by people with XYZ”)
- Communicate its intended use
- Cannot include false or misleading claims regarding the effectiveness
For Sexual Health Products and Services
- Sexual Health advertising is allowed
- Suppliers' information must be provided or readily available
- Must not contain sexually suggestive language
- Must not contain graphic imagery
- Must focus on self-care and healthy living
- Must avoid using wording related to "performance
Political
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Express advocacy or defeat of a candidate running for political office
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Defamatory or inflammatory language
- Wage a personal attack against an opposing candidate or political party
- Blatantly fake news (unverifiable sources)
- Deceptively doctoring media related to politics, social issues, or matters of public concern
- Ads paid for by foreign entities
- Paid for directly or indirectly by non-resident foreign nationals or entities
- Ads claiming victory in post-election campaign unless confirmed by governing officials
- (Ex. Official State Election Office website)
- All Political advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
Advertisers may only initiate campaigns within their own country.
Advertisers must ensure compliance with election blackout periods.
The following requirements apply to election and issue-based advertising:
- Advertising contains appropriate disclaimers and advertiser disclosures
- Advertisements that may be considered Franking ads also require disclaimers/disclosures on creatives
- Audio advertisements require appropriate audible disclaimers/disclosures
- Advertisements for issue-based or lobbying advocacy are required to disclose their brand on creative assets
- Advertising explicitly expresses advocacy for a specific candidate
- Advertisements are free of explicit language
- Advertisements are free of any violence or explosions
- Advertisement is free of any personal attacks against an opposing candidate or political party
- Advertisements that make claims or statements of fact, should be appropriately sourced
- Creatives must clearly state one of the following in their disclaimer:
- The approval and authorization of the ad by the candidate Identification of the party, group, or organization sponsoring the ad along with relevant contact information
- If the advertising party has no affiliation with the candidate, it must clearly state so and include identifiers and contact information
Note: it is the advertiser’s responsibility to consult with their lawyers and include all disclaimers/disclosure notices required to comply with all applicable local laws and regulations. Certain regulations may require disclaimers/disclosures to include Treasurer names or Top PAC donors. Do not share any of the sample language above without encouraging advertisers to consult their own lawyers.
Recreational Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia (non-cannabis)
Allowed countries for targeting: Canada, US
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- News and information related to recreational drugs and drug paraphernalia that does not glorify or feature its use
- Content involving drugs as a theme only including movies or t-shirts
- Products from hemp
- Kratom
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Substances that alter the mental state or help users get "high"
- Psychedelics and Plant Medicines
- Drug paraphernalia such as pipes, bongs, or similar products
- Platforms to aid in the exchange, access, sale or use of illicit drugs
All Recreational Drug advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
The following requirements apply to Recreational Drug advertising:
- Apply Age Targeting for users 21+
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
- Must not encourage the use or experimentation of recreational drugs
- Must not depict any form of consumption of drugs or persons under the influence
Tobacco and Nicotine Products
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Tobacco alternatives including patches, gums, and pouches that focus on smoking cessation
- Vaporizers and e-cigarettes
- Licensed Retailers/Distributors
- News and info about tobacco products from news sources
- Anti-smoking advice and information
- Accessories not directly used for smoking including ashtrays and humidors
- Events sponsored by tobacco companies
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Cigarettes, cigars
- Businesses focused on smoking such as hookah lounges or cigar bars
- All Nicotine and Tobacco advertisers must be verified by StackAdapt prior to running any campaign.
The following requirements apply to Nicotine and Tobacco advertising:
- Advertisement is free of any glamorization/health benefit claims (Ex. E-cigarettes are safer and healthier than cigarettes)
- Advertisement is free of any appeal to young people
- Advertisement includes appropriate disclaimers
- Apply Age Targeting for users 21+
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
- Advertisement must be socially responsible
- Advertisement must not encourage non-smokers or non-nicotine users to use/try nicotine products
- Advertising must be free of any people/characters/animals (real or cartoon)
- Advertisement is free of any endorsements or testimonials
Weight Loss
Allowed countries for targeting: Canada, US
✅ Allowed
Advertisers can run the following types of ads without authorization:
- Fitness gyms
- Diet and nutrition plans
⚠️ Conditional
Advertisers may only promote the following types of ads with authorization:
- Daily vitamins and other dietary supplements
❌ Prohibited
Advertisers are not permitted to promote the following types of ads on the platform:
- Unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements related to weight loss including hCG, ephedra, or anabolic steroids
The following requirements apply to weight loss advertisements:
- Apply Age Targeting for users 18+
- Age Gates are recommended to affirm user ages before access to landing pages
- Must not contain unreasonable or misleading performance claims
- Must not claim weight loss will be long-term or permanent
- Must not claim the product will be successful for everyone
- Must not include before/after images
- Must not encourage unhealthy eating or negative body image/perception