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Restricted Ads Policy

Alcohol​

Principle: Alcohol is a restricted vertical on Reddit to ensure that advertisements are responsibly served across all markets and do not condone or depict irresponsible drinking.  

Policy: Advertising of Alcohol and alcohol-related products, including beverages that resemble alcohol (e.g. non-alcoholic beer) (“Alcohol”), are permitted on Reddit. Advertising is subject to the restrictions listed below, industry advertising standards, and relevant local laws, and is only available in certain countries.

All advertisers must work directly with a Reddit Sales Representative. Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Direct Sale of Alcohol​

Advertisements that promote the sale and purchasing of alcoholic products from the landing page of the ad are permitted on Reddit.

Any permitted advertisements for the direct sale of alcohol are subject to industry standards, relevant local laws, and the restrictions listed below. 

Branding of Alcohol​

Advertisements that promote and bring awareness to an alcohol brand and its products, but do not offer them for direct sales are permitted on Reddit. Alcohol branding advertisements are subject to the restrictions listed below, industry standards and relevant local laws. 

Alcohol-Adjacent Goods and/or Services​

Advertisements regarding treatment for alcoholic addiction are not permitted on Reddit. 

Advertisements for the Direct Sale, or Promotion, of Alcohol-Adjacent Goods and / or Services are permitted on Reddit, and do not require you to work with a Reddit Sales Representative.  Some examples of this type of advertising are: 

  • Alcohol-related paraphernalia including beer mugs, wine and shot glasses, bar equipment, brew kits
  • Alcohol-adjacent events that do not focus on consuming alcohol, e.g., an art and wine festival or a restaurant or bar opening 
  • Tours of breweries, vineyard, and distilleries that do not focus on consuming alcohol 
  • Trade publications and industry information
  • Classes and education opportunities, e.g., beer making and viticulture classes

Restrictions for Permitted Advertisements​

Permitted Advertisements regarding the Direct Sale or Branding of Alcohol must:

  • Include the language “Drink Responsibly” in the advertisement copy or creative
  • Age-gate any advertisement landing pages
  • Only be served on communities permitted by Reddit 
  • Comply with applicable laws and regulations
  • Comply with applicable industry advertising standards laid out by your country's alcohol regulatory authority.  

Permitted Advertisements regarding the Direct Sale, Branding of Alcohol, or Alcohol-Adjacent Goods and Services must not: 

  • Glorify binge drinking and / or getting drunk
  • Encourage underage drinking, appeal to minors, or display minors in an ad
  • Associate drinking with social, financial, athletic or romantic success 
  • Be endorsed by a famous or other type of well-known person
  • Display imagery of sensitive, vulnerable, or impressionable groups
  • Display imagery of reckless behaviour while drinking, e.g., operating a vehicle or fighting or other acts of aggression
  • Display imagery of tobacco 
  • Display activities or locations where drinking would potentially or obviously be dangerous, unsafe, or unwise
  • Imply that drinking helps relieve stress or can solve issues
  • Imply that drinking is necessary or essential for a situation, e.g., a party where everyone is drinking
  • Imply any physical or mental health benefits or enhancements to drinking

Third-Party Rights​

Principle: Ads on Reddit must respect the third-party rights of others.

Policy: Reddit prohibits ads that infringe upon the following third-party rights:

  • Copyrights
  • Trademarks
  • Rights to privacy and publicity

The unauthorized use of Reddit-owned intellectual property in ads is also prohibited.

If you are an intellectual property owner or authorized representative, please use this form to report potential violations of this policy.

Principle: To ensure legally compliant and transparent advertisers are allowed to advertise without exploiting or glorifying gambling and gaming.

Policy: Gambling and Gaming (“Gambling”) ads that promote the exchange of money or other items of value are permitted to run on Reddit, but with certain restrictions. All gambling advertisers must be pre-approved and work directly with a Reddit Sales Representative. Advertising is subject to the restrictions listed below, industry advertising standards, and relevant local laws, and is only available in certain countries.

Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Gambling and Gaming​

Advertisements that promote any game of skill or chance, including lotteries, where money or other items of value are exchanged or at stake are classified as gambling.

Any permitted advertisements for gambling or gaming are subject to the restrictions listed below, industry standards, and relevant local laws.

Examples of gambling where money or other items of value are exchanged or at stake that require account management by Reddit sales under this policy:

  • Online casinos, gambling, and games 
  • Sports betting and sports books
  • Fantasy sports
  • Brick and mortar casinos that promote gambling and other types of gaming
  • Contests and sweepstakes
  • State and national lotteries
  • Casino-themed gambling apps
  • Social gaming and gambling with others
  • Gambling for and with gaming skins
  • Tips and advice for gambling, sports, betting

Restrictions for Permitted Advertisements​

As a restricted product, gambling and gaming ads on Reddit must do the following:

  • Comply with applicable local laws and regulations
  • Comply with all applicable licensing requirements laid out by your regional gaming authority 
  • Comply with applicable industry advertising standards laid out by your regional or country's gaming authority.  
  • Only be served on communities permitted by Reddit 
  • Include terms and conditions of all games, including information on odds of winning in creative or on the landing page 
  • Avoid targeting or appealing to minors or support-related subreddits

Gambling and Gaming Prohibitions​

  • Ads for gambling addiction and treatment programs
  • Ads that encourage or glorify gambling or gaming are prohibited 
  • Unrealistic claims or guarantees of winning are not allowed 
  • Must not appeal to minors
  • Display imagery of sensitive, vulnerable, or impressionable groups
  • Display imagery of alcohol, tobacco, or other controlled substances

Exceptions to the Policy​

  • Games that are free and where no money or other items of value are exchanged or at stake 
  • Brick and mortar casinos that emphasize non-gaming elements, e.g., hotels, parties, restaurants
  • Gambling related paraphernalia including, e.g., card counters, dice, boards
  • Trade publications and industry information

Political Advertisements​

Principle: On Reddit, we aim to promote transparency and dialogue in the political ads published on our platform.

Policy: Political ads are permitted to run on Reddit in the US at the federal level only, with certain additional restrictions. To run political ads on Reddit, political advertisers must first have their candidate or other official representative participate in an AMA on Reddit prior to any advertising placement. Additionally, all political advertisers must be certified with Reddit, and work directly with a Reddit Sales representative. Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Political ads include:

  • Ads related to campaigns or elections, or that solicit political donations;
  • Ads promoting political merchandise (for example, products featuring a public office holder or candidate, political slogans, etc);
  • Issue ads or advocacy ads pertaining to topics of potential legislative or political importance
  • Ads placed by political organizations;
  • Ads featuring a political call to action, such as calling a member of Congress or signing a petition.

Political ads do NOT include:

  • Ads that promote voter registration or the act of voting, provided they are placed by non-political organizations

Political ads requirements:

  • Prerequisite participation in a live AMA (Ask Me Anything) with a relevant Reddit Community. Please consult your sales representative for guidance and assistance in scheduling AMAs
  • All ads must include a link to the AMA, which will be appended to the ad as a comment. 
  • Compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including those promulgated by the Federal Elections Commission
  • Inclusion of clear “paid for by” disclosures within the ad text or ad copy of the ad
  • Reddit Certification
  • Information regarding the purchasing individual or organization to be publicly disclosed in Reddit's transparency subreddit
  • US-based and about US elections, campaigns, or issues at the federal level only
  • Political ads may never target audiences using zip code or gender, and must follow Reddit's Targeting Guidelines
  • Messaging intended to undermine public confidence in an election is prohibited
  • Compliance with the Reddit Reddit Rules, including the prohibition of deep fakes or other manipulated content presented to mislead is prohibited
  • Ads containing synthetic content that has been digitally altered or generated but does otherwise not violate this policy must include a clear and conspicuous disclosure of this fact. (e.g., “This ad contains AI-generated content.")
  • Attack ads are not allowed

Unofficial Resale of Event Tickets​

Ads for the unofficial resale of event tickets, including fake and counterfeit tickets, are prohibited on Reddit. 

Authorized third-party resellers are permitted to run ads on Reddit. 

Live Animals and Animal Products​

Principle: To protect the welfare of all animals and aid in the conservation of endangered species. 

Policy: Animal adoption, conservation, or welfare organizations are permitted to run ads on Reddit.

Examples of animal prohibitions:

  • Commercial and private sale of live animals
  • Unauthorized or unlicensed adoption agencies
  • Animal products derived from endangered species - for reference, see World Wildlife Fund's list of endangered species

Dating Services​

Principle: To promote dating services that are inclusive, non-discriminatory, and non-exploitative.

Policy: Dating ads are permitted to run on Reddit, but with certain restrictions. All advertisers must work directly with a Reddit Sales Representative. Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Examples of dating prohibitions:

  • Focus on infidelity
  • Focus on casual sex, escorts, prostitution, intimate massages
  • International or mail order bride services
  • Focus on fetishes and fetish communities
  • Services that discriminate or exclude based on race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, class, or health status

Financial/Cryptocurrency Products and Services​

Principle: Reddit is dedicated to running ads for financial products and services, including products and services related to decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies, that are transparent, legitimate, and compliant with applicable regulations and legal frameworks. All advertisers of these products and services on Reddit must be vetted and, when required by law, licensed and approved by the appropriate regulatory authority.

Policy: Reddit restricts ads related to financial products and services, including products and services related to decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies. In addition to complying with this policy, all advertisers must also comply with all applicable and local laws, rules, regulations, licensing requirements, and industry standards.

Ads may be subject to pre-approval, and advertisers may be requested to provide additional information and documentation to confirm the legitimacy of the products and services being offered by them at Reddit's sole discretion. In addition, some products and services under this policy require direct management from a Reddit Sales Representative.

Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Restricted Financial/Crypto Products and Services​

Advertisers with proper licensing and registration from applicable government agencies and regulators are permitted to run ads for financial products and services, including products and services related to decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies. These products and services may include:

  • Traditional banking products and services
  • Financial planning and investment advice, including when given by professional advisors or through tax-filing services, budgeting apps, or other personal finance tools 
  • Mortgages, car, student, and other personal loans, and other loans and lending products
  • Home, car, personal, and other insurance policies
  • Contracts for difference, forex trading, and spread betting
  • Payment processing and money transmission, including through crypto wallets 
  • Credit and debit cards, inducing crypto debit and credit cards 
  • Exchanges, crowdfunding portals, broker-dealers, and other types of trading platforms, including crypto exchanges
  • Crypto mining software and hardware, staking products and services, and crypto lending platforms
  • Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and NFT marketplaces
  • Financial/crypto educational or business resources, including employment opportunities
  • Networking/professional events about financial/crypto products or services

All advertisers promoting decentralized financial and crypto products and services, must be pre-approved and work directly with a Reddit Sales Representative. 

Advertising for these products and services is subject to the restrictions listed in this policy, industry advertising standards, and relevant local laws, and is only available in certain countries.

Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Prohibited Financial/Crypto Products and Services​

Ads for the following financial/crypto products and services are never allowed on Reddit:

  • Single securities, stocks, bonds, and other types of individual and tradable financial assets 
  • Single tokens, coins, cryptocurrencies, and other types of individual and tradable crypto assets, including ads for ICOs, IDOs, and other types of token sales
  • Penny stocks
  • Unlicensed or uninsured banks or fintechs that provide bank-like products or services
  • Debt-assistance and debt-collection programs
  • Payday loans or predatory lending
  • Get-rich-quick and pyramid schemes, multi-level-marketing programs, and celebrity endorsements
  • Liquidity pools, mixers, and tumblers
  • Bail and bearer bonds
  • Trading bots

Ads for financial/crypto products and services offered by decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) without any centralized legal entity providing the products and services are also prohibited on Reddit.

Creative and Ad Targeting Prohibitions​

Ads for financial/crypto products and services must never:

  • Mislead, deceive, or otherwise make unrealistic, exaggerated, or unsubstantiated claims
  • Mention offering of high-margin trading facilities, e.g., offering "50x" or "100x" leverage
  • Make or imply guarantees, e.g., suggesting a particular investment will make you rich
  • Target minors, protected classes, or related subreddits
  • Target audiences using Zip Code or Gender, in addition to Reddit's Targeting Guidelines
  • Be served inside any country where the advertiser is not legally able to offer the advertised product or service
  • 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" activities
  • Suggest or imply that the advertiser is regulated or associated with a particular regulator when this is not the case

Healthcare Products and Services​

Policy​

Reddit allows advertisements promoting healthcare products and services, with restrictions. Healthcare advertisers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, licensing requirements, and industry standards. Advertisers must also take note of, and comply with, Reddit's policies on ad targeting.

This policy is subject to change at any time, and advertisers are responsible for making sure that they are up to date with the restrictions that apply. Some healthcare products and services require direct management from a Reddit Sales Representative. Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

Pharmaceutical drugs​

Pharmaceutical drugs are substances intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. Ads for pharmaceutical drugs are allowed with restrictions. Pharmaceutical drug advertisers must be managed by a Reddit Sales Representative.

Prescription (Rx) drugs​

Prescription drugs are pharmaceutical drugs that can be dispensed only to those who have a medical prescription. Prescription drugs must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs​

Over-the-counter drugs are pharmaceutical drugs that may be obtained without a medical prescription. OTC drugs must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Compounded drugs​

Compounded drugs are customized medications that are prepared by a pharmacist, often by combining, mixing, or altering ingredients in accordance with a physician's prescription. Compounded drugs must be produced by pharmacies accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) or facilities approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Medical devices​

Ads for medical devices are allowed with restrictions. All medical devices must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and listed in the Devices@FDA Database. 

Pharmacies​

Ads for online and brick and mortar pharmacies are allowed with restrictions. Pharmacy advertisers must be managed by a Reddit Sales Representative.

Online pharmacies​

Online pharmacies that facilitate the sale of prescription drugs by accepting new, refill, or transferred prescription drug orders through remote ordering are allowed. Online pharmacies must be accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). 

Brick and mortar pharmacies​

Brick and mortar pharmacies with no links to online pharmacies are allowed. Brick and mortar pharmacies must be accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

Healthcare providers and medical services​

Ads for healthcare providers and medical services are allowed with restrictions. All healthcare providers and medical services must be appropriately licensed and/or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other relevant authority. Healthcare providers and medical services advertisers must be managed by a Reddit Sales Representative. Below is a non-exhaustive list of healthcare providers and medical services that are allowed and their restrictions:

Medical professionals and clinics​

Medical professionals and clinics must be appropriately licensed by all necessary and relevant regulatory authorities.

Telemedicine services​

Telemedicine providers must possess industry standard certifications. Medical professionals engaged in telemedicine services must be appropriately licensed as they would be at a regular clinic. Telemedicine advertisers must be managed by a Reddit Sales Representative.

Testing services and test kits​

Testing services that are performed on-site and in-person at a medical facility or lab under the guidance of a medical professional are allowed if they are appropriately licensed by all necessary and relevant regulatory authorities.

At-home, direct-to-consumer test kits such as pregnancy tests, blood sugar tests, genetic tests, and COVID-19 tests are allowed if they meet all regulatory requirements. Test kits must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and listed in the Food and Drug Administration Database.

Clinical research​

Clinical research/studies must be registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Clinical trials must be conducted under the oversight of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that is registered with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP). 

Addiction centers​

Addiction centers must possess industry standard certifications and must be run by licensed medical or health professionals. 

Supplements​

Ads for supplements are allowed with restrictions. Ads are subject to, and must comply with, all applicable healthcare and wellness industry standards, as well as relevant local laws and regulations. Ads for supplements must also:

  • Not make unsubstantiated claims
  • Not promise unexpected or unrealistic results
  • Not include before and after photos
  • Not imply prevention, diagnosis, or cure
  • Not imply that a supplement is as effective or more effective than an FDA-approved drug or medical treatment

Unsafe supplements​

Ads for supplements that contain the following unsafe substances are prohibited (this list is non-exhaustive and subject to change):

  • Anabolic steroids
  • Codeine
  • Ephedra
  • Human growth hormone (HGH)
  • Opioids

Birth control and family planning​

Ads for non-prescription birth control and family planning products such as condoms are allowed. Prescription birth control and family planning products are subject to the restrictions on prescription drugs and medical devices. In all cases, ads must focus on the clinical aspects of products, avoiding any references to sexual gratification and/or sexual pleasure.

Abortion​

Ads for general family planning services and ads for clinics that perform pregnancy terminations are allowed, however, termination services cannot be mentioned in ads. 

Weight loss products and services​

Ads for weight loss products and services are subject to the restrictions on prescription drugs and supplements. We never allow weight loss products that contain unsafe or dangerous ingredients such as ephedra, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), anabolic steroids, or any other substance that has been subject to government or regulatory action. Ads for weight loss products and services must also:

  • Not imply unrealistic, unsafe, or atypical weight loss outcomes
  • Not include before and after photos
  • Not reinforce unrealistic or unhealthy beauty standards, or contain body-shaming language

Cosmetic procedures​

Ads for cosmetic procedures are subject to the restrictions on prescription drugs and medical professionals and clinics. Ads for cosmetic procedures must also:

  • Not make false or exaggerated claims
  • Not promise unexpected or unrealistic results
  • Not include before and after photos
  • Not reinforce unrealistic or unhealthy beauty standards, or contain body-shaming language

Recreational Drugs​

Principle: Products and services advertised on Reddit, regardless of their legality, should not have the potential to sicken, injure, or be addictive in a way that can adversely impact our users.

Policy: Reddit restricts ads promoting the use, sale, manufacturing, and branding of recreational drugs and other related products and services.

Prohibited Recreational Drugs and Related Products and Services

  • Recreational drugs including, but not limited to, cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms 
  • Drug paraphernalia including, but not limited to, bongs, pipes, grinders, clothing
  • Products that facilitate, or are associated with, the production of recreational drugs
  • Facilities that produce recreational and illicit drugs
  • Cannabis dispensaries
  • Events and research sponsored recreational drug producers
  • Rehab facilities

There are two exceptions to this policy:

CBD (US only)​

Reddit allows ads for topical and non-ingestible hemp-derived CBD products. Ads for these products and services are allowed only in the US, and are subject to the following restrictions: 

  • Advertisers must be managed by a Reddit Sales rep and ads must be pre-approved;
  • Advertisers may only advertise non-ingestible CBD products intended for topical use, containing hemp-derived CBD that has been legally grown, extracted, processed, and manufactured;
  • Advertisers may not target states where topical CBD products remain illegal (Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and South Dakota); 
  • Advertisers may only target users aged 21 years and older; 
  • Advertisers may not target audiences using Zip Code or Gender, in addition to Reddit's Targeting Guideline;
  • Ad landing pages cannot advertise or sell products or services prohibited by other Reddit policies;
  • Advertisements and product landing pages cannot make health, medical, or therapeutic claims; 
  • Advertisers and any products advertised must be compliant with any federal, state, and/or local laws, regulations, and/or rules applicable in the jurisdiction in which they are targeting (including but not limited to any laws, regulations, and/or rules relating to labeling, testing, manufacturing, product registration, licensing, and/or permitting). 

Cannabis (Canada Only)​

Reddit allows ads for cannabis products and services. Ads for these products and services are allowed only in Canada, and are subject to the following restrictions:

  • Advertisers must be managed by a Reddit Sales rep and ads must be pre-approved;
  • Advertisers must have a license from Health Canada and may only target provinces where they are licensed to operate;
  • The direct sale of cannabis is not permitted. Ads can only promote and bring awareness to the brand and its products;
  • Advertisements and ad landing pages cannot:
    • Make health, medical, or therapeutic claims
    • Appeal to people under the age of 18, vulnerable or sensitive groups
    • Target audiences using Zip Code or Gender, in addition to Reddit's Targeting Guidelines
    • Discuss prices or distribution
    • Display reckless, dangerous, or otherwise irresponsible behavior; 
  • Advertisers and any products or services advertised must be compliant with any federal, provincial, and/or local laws, regulations, and/or rules applicable in the jurisdiction in which they are targeting (including but not limited to any laws, regulations, and/or rules relating to labeling, testing, manufacturing, product registration, licensing, and/or permitting). 

To see if you're eligible to run CBD (US) or cannabis (CA) ads with us, Contact Reddit sales, or schedule a call with us. 

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