Google will be updating its alcohol advertising policy on September 30, 2026. The update "revises country-specific guidelines, expands allowed advertising locations, and provides clearer details on specific advertiser requirements and responsibilities," Google wrote.
This is a big update, which is why Google published a preview of the new policy so that you can compare it to the current policy.
The old policy primarily divided rules between "Alcohol sales" and "Alcohol information." The new policy specifically lists what is explicitly allowed, adding items that were previously a gray area. These include Alcohol Mixers, which are explicitly allowed as long as they target audiences above the legal purchase age. Also, alcohol accessories advertising for specialized equipment is now explicitly permitted. The policy provides examples such as home brewing kits, distillation equipment, alcohol recipes, and instructions on how to make homemade spirits.
Advertisers wanting to promote 0% alcohol alternative beverages in countries where alcohol advertising is strictly prohibited (specifically Egypt, India, and Indonesia) must now complete a specific "0% alcohol advertising application." The new document warns that violations of the 0% alcohol promotion policy are considered egregious. Violations can result in an immediate account suspension without prior warning, permanently banning the advertiser.
The new document explicitly addresses the rise of cannabis-infused and CBD beverages. It states that ads for drinks containing THC or other regulated substances, even if marketed as "alcohol-free" or offering "alcohol-like effects," are out of the scope of this policy and fall under the stricter Dangerous products or services policy.
It explicitly states that "Pregnant people shall never be shown consuming an alcoholic beverage." Also the document states that "Minors shall never be shown consuming an alcoholic beverage," clarifying that avoiding targeting minors is not enough; the ad's creative content must also reflect this.
Any drink with an alcohol content of 0.5% or higher must now clearly include the ABV on the landing page. It gives specific examples of countries with strict ABV limits for advertisements where the highest ABV must be indicated on the landing page (e.g., Iceland [2.25%], Ecuador [5%], Vietnam [5.5%]).
Also instead of linking out to separate pages to figure out where alcohol sales vs. alcohol informational ads are allowed, the new document includes a unified table listing all allowable countries directly on the page. If a country is not on that list, advertising is not allowed.
There is a lot that changed, so make sure to review the preview of the new policy to the current policy.
Google also sent out emails about this to advertisers:
Google Ads Policy - Alcohol policy update #PPCChat pic.twitter.com/Ro0nYMHseE
— Menachem (Google Ads) (@MenachemAni) August 27, 2026
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