That’s why, as always, we’ve prepared a selection of interesting updates and changes expected after the summer. And yes, this time there’s something for everyone: iGaming businesses, website owners, and advertisers.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming.

1. UK gambling licences are getting more expensive in October

From October 1, 2026, the UK government plans to increase most Gambling Commission fees by approximately 25%. Annual licence fees, application fees, personal licence fees, as well as charges for licence amendments and changes in corporate control, are all expected to rise.

For new operators, this means a more expensive entry into the market. For existing businesses, it means higher compliance costs and more money required simply to maintain their licences. Smaller casinos, newly launched brands, and companies planning to enter the UK market this autumn are likely to feel the impact the most.

And let’s not forget that earlier this year, in April, the UK almost doubled the tax on online casinos.

Remote Gaming Duty for online casinos, slots, and other remote gaming products increased from 21% to 40%. On top of that, from April 1, 2027, the tax on online betting will rise from 15% to 25%, with the exception of bets on British horse racing. These changes also apply to operators registered outside the UK if they accept players from the British market.

Why does this matter? Because such a significant increase in operating costs may lead to reduced advertising budgets, stricter traffic-quality requirements, and operators shifting their focus towards cheaper GEOs.

And what about our beloved Google?

2. Google has started showing separate website-visibility statistics for AI Search

Since June 2026, Google has been testing separate Search Console reports for website impressions in AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI-powered Google Discover features. Website owners will be able to see which pages appear in AI-generated answers, which countries they are shown in, what devices users are using, and how their visibility changes over time.

For now, the feature is available only to a limited number of websites, but Google plans to expand access gradually.

Why does this matter? Previously, impressions and traffic from AI features were mixed together with regular Search results. Now website owners will have a much clearer understanding of whether Google is using their content in AI-generated answers and whether that visibility is actually bringing users to their websites.

3. Google has stopped showing vignette ads when users press the Back button

Starting June 15, 2026, pressing the browser’s Back button no longer triggers a full-screen AdSense vignette ad. The change is applied automatically to all publishers who enabled additional triggers for this ad format.

Google explained the update as part of a new policy aimed at preventing websites and scripts from interfering with the normal operation of the browser’s Back button.

Why does this matter? Website owners may see a decline in vignette ad impressions and, naturally, a reduction in the revenue generated by them. This could have a particularly noticeable impact on websites with a high number of internal page transitions or a large percentage of users who regularly navigate back.
 

What about advertisers working with explicit content?

First, let’s remember what already happened at the beginning of this year.

4. Google updated its SEO recommendations for websites with explicit content

On February 20, 2026, Google updated its guidelines for websites containing adult and explicit content. Google now recommends clearly marking such pages using:

<meta name="rating" content="adult">

or an RTA label.

For video content, website owners can also use video:family_friendly=no in the video sitemap. This helps Google identify more accurately which specific pages should be hidden when SafeSearch is enabled, instead of potentially limiting the visibility of the entire website.

For adult website owners, the point is simple: correct labelling does not provide any ranking advantage, but it may help Google distinguish explicit pages from regular content more accurately. This is particularly important for mixed-content websites where adult material appears only in certain sections.

And here is what to expect in September

5. Starting in September, Google may choose a different landing page for your Search ads

From September 2026, Search campaigns using text customization will be automatically migrated to AI Max. One of the AI Max features is Final URL Expansion, which allows Google to send users not to the landing page selected by the advertiser, but to another page on the same website that its algorithm considers more relevant to the search query.

Google may also automatically adapt the ad copy to match the page it has selected.

For advertisers, this means one thing: you need to check your entire website in advance, not just your main landing page. Google may potentially send paid traffic to category pages, articles, and other commercial URLs.

If those pages contain outdated offers, weak CTAs, or missing tracking, part of your advertising budget may be wasted on pages that were never prepared to receive paid traffic.

And now we come to the most important part, especially for all the fans of identical ads featuring fake celebrities who supposedly won something or discovered a magical way to make money.

P.S. No, you will not make money that way.

6. Google is gradually limiting ads with unclear branding and generic landing pages

Google has expanded its Limited Ad Serving Policy to Search campaigns. As part of the gradual rollout, the system may restrict ads from businesses it considers insufficiently recognisable, transparent, or trustworthy to users.

Google specifically recommends clearly displaying your own brand both in the advertisement and on the landing page, explaining your relationship with any other brands mentioned, and avoiding faceless, generic, template-based copy.

The rollout has already begun and will continue gradually after the summer, potentially through 2028.

This is particularly relevant for affiliate landing pages, comparison pages, and websites designed to look like the official website of another brand. Even if the ad is not formally rejected, Google may simply limit its reach until the account builds enough trust.

So, which of these changes could affect you? Come on, admit it.

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