Poker Magazine Site - Good or bad idea?

Does Poker-related site mean Google won't let me advertise?

[L8Bloomer]

I have purchased an excellent brandable domain name (I think) for a poker magazine site. Purpose of the site will be primarily content-based and updated daily once I have site large enough for publication. I will do interviews with successful online players initially, and potentially branch out to more successful live players (though I don't think I will need to do this). The purpose will be to help newer players learn how other successful players reached the level they have. Obviously, I would like to advertise poker products and sites.

My dilemma...

I understand that Google may not allow me to advertise my site through Google AdWords, but may allow me to place AdSense ads on my site. Is this correct? If so, what is the reason for this? Are there legal reasons, or is it just professional preference? If this is true, am I wasting my time? I can think of no better way to bring traffic to my site than to have AdSense. As is true here, pitching my website through chat at poker sites is not allowed.

thanks in advance for your responses.

[mack]

I'm not 100% sure that using Google adsense on a gaming site falls within their terms of service.

It may not be worth while even if it was, as you pointed out you can't advertise gambling sites using adwords, so you would not receive targeted adverts through adsense.

Mack.

[brijay]

You have me worried now, as my new site (currently in development) is a competition, games and gaming directory. It was going to contain an area on 'gambling' that will have links to sites that fit into this category. I did not realise that this may cause difficulty in advertising the site. Does anyone know if this will prevent me using adwords to advertise the competition and games section of the site? If so I guess I am going to have to rethink my design.
brijay

[MichaelBluejay]

If you want to know what Google's Terms of Service are, the worst way to go about finding out is to post a message on some bulletin board and believe whatever some stranger tells you they are. The best way to find out about Google's Terms of Service is to go to Google.com and actually read them.

As for advertising (both buying and selling), the inability to do so is not a show-stopper, you simply use other avenues other than Google. My bread and butter is gambling advertising, and it pays a lot better than AdSense.

[emilyliuliu]

However,you should never make that happen on your site that you will apply for google adsense (either).With the polices for google adsense,please pay attention that the warning:
Site content:
Site may not include:

.....

Gambling or casino-related content

Maybe you will check it out here:
[google.com...]

*By the way,I'm afraid most programs like google adsense would not accept such kind of sites' applications.

[webjourneyman]

Forget about google then, their loss not yours. There is probably more to be made as an affiliate or dropshipper of f.eks. playing cards and other gambling gear.

If you absolutley must advertise with adsens you could create portal sites with topics that border with gambling. F.eks. a small site about non gambling card games or how to make your own dice or a historical site about the wild west, advertise those on google adsense and advertise your gambling site on those portal sites in turn!?