Most Google Ads news is about new AI features. The changes that cause real problems in agency accounts are quieter: settings that disappear, policies that open or close categories, and deadlines for conversion tracking. Here are the ones that matter for accounts in the UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2026.
Language targeting is going
In late September 2026 Google is removing the campaign language setting from Search and AI Max campaigns. Ads will match searches based on the language of the ad and the search, the person's language settings and Google's AI. Performance Max's search traffic is no longer governed by it either, though it still applies to YouTube, Display, Discover and Gmail. Google has given no guidance specific to Arabic.
For bilingual Gulf accounts, which often split Arabic and English into campaigns by language setting, this is the most important change of the year. What controls matching now is the language of the ad copy and the landing page:
- Keep Arabic ads in Arabic and English ads in English, without mixing the two in one ad.
- Point Arabic ads to Arabic landing pages.
- Check search terms in both languages after the change.
Gambling and crypto in the region
- From 10 March 2026, operators licensed by the UAE's General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, and certified by Google, can advertise online gaming and sports betting in the UAE. State-run lotteries licensed by the same authority have been allowed since June 2025.
- Ads for offline gambling are prohibited in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
- Since 14 September 2026, every gambling category needs good policy health, and manager accounts with repeated revocations lose eligibility.
- In the UAE, crypto exchanges and software wallets have needed a licence from VARA, the Abu Dhabi FSRA or the DFSA, plus Google certification, since February 2025.
Formats and features ending or changing
- Call-only ads can no longer be created since February 2026, and existing ones stop serving in February 2027. Replace them with responsive search ads and call assets.
- Campaign-level broad match and automatically created assets are being upgraded to AI Max through September 2026, and Dynamic Search Ads follow in February 2027.
- Local inventory ads were switched on by default for Shopping campaigns on 31 August 2026.
- Since August, budget-limited campaigns on target CPA or target ROAS bid to the target more consistently instead of beating it. Google says budgets are always respected.
AI labels on ads
Since July 2026, a How this ad was made panel in My Ad Center explains AI use in ads on Search, YouTube and Discover. Ads made with Google's own AI tools are labelled automatically; for ads made with other tools, the advertiser ticks a setting.
Conversions and data
- Since April 2026 Google Ads accepts conversion data from tags, Data Manager and the API at the same time, and since June enhanced conversions for web and for leads are a single setting.
- From 15 June 2026, offline conversion imports and uploads for enhanced conversions for leads moved to the Data Manager API. Integrations that were not updated need checking.
Security and terms
- Passkeys for sensitive actions, such as adding users or changing billing, are being introduced. Google's help page describes it as rolling out, with an enforcement date the account sets.
- Google's updated advertising terms took effect on 1 July 2026, including how inputs are used by AI features. Arabic and English versions exist for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
English only, for now
Several new tools do not yet work in Arabic: ads inside AI Overviews, Asset Studio's AI video, Ask Advisor and, for now, Ads Advisor. AI Brief supports English and seven other languages, not Arabic. Text customisation in AI Max supports all languages, according to Google's help page, so check generated Arabic headlines carefully.
A checklist for this quarter
- Rebuild language segmentation around ad and landing page language as the setting disappears.
- Replace call-only ads.
- Check which campaigns moved to AI Max in September, and what was switched on.
- Confirm offline conversion imports run through the Data Manager API.
- Set up passkeys for account administrators.
- For clients in gaming or crypto, confirm licences and Google certification before building campaigns.
The UTM builder on this site keeps link tagging consistent across Arabic and English campaigns, so performance by language can be compared in the client's analytics.
