YouTube bans masthead ads for politics, alcohol and gambling

It's often the platform's most expensive and sought-after ad unit

The coveted and highly visible rectangle across the top of the homepage offers enticing opportunities for advertisers, but not to all of them.

A Google spokesperson said in an emailed statement:

"We regularly review our advertising requirements to ensure they balance the needs of both advertisers and users"

"We believe this update will build on changes we made last year to the masthead reservation process and will lead to a better experience for users"

Google paused political ads altogether around the U.S. presidential election and again ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, citing its policy over sensitive events.