Neil Lancefield Gambling websites were allowed to advertise on internet search engine Google from yesterday.

Neil Lancefield

Gambling websites were allowed to advertise on internet search engine Google from yesterday.

It means bookmakers and casinos can target internet users in Britain when they type specific words into the website.

The timing of the decision has angered politicians and religious groups who claim the current financial crisis is causing enough money worries without the need to encourage gambling.

Google insisted adverts will be accepted only from companies regulated in Britain or Europe. It also said parents could use safety filters to stop children seeing the ads as they will be classified as "Non-Family Safe".

The decision comes after television advertising restrictions on bookmakers, casinos and online gambling sites were lifted by the government last year.

Google will maintain its ban on gambling adverts on the rest of its worldwide sites.

Figures released this week by gambling addiction charity Gamcare show a large increase in the number of people who feel they have a problem. It reported that annual calls to its helpline rose 25% to just below 38,000 last year. The average debt of people who rang for help was over £17,500.

Peter Kilfoyle, the former Labour defence minister, said: "I think it's extraordinary that a major global company should seek, at this time, to promote gambling on its internet site.

"I'm not being judgmental. I'm talking about the timing of it. It's extraordinary."

Don Foster, Liberal Democrat culture spokesman, said: "Current rules on advertising internet gambling are woefully inadequate.

"Internet gambling is more addictive than many other forms of gambling, and we need to be much more cautious. This type of advertising, whilst perfectly legal, is deeply worrying."

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: "It's a matter for Google."

A spokesman for the Church of England said there was a "real danger of normalising' gambling through developments like this".

James Cashmore of Google UK said: "Over the last few months we've been reviewing our gambling advertising policy in Britain to ensure it is as consistent as possible with local business practices.

"Following the review we've decided to amend our policy to allow text ads to appear against search queries related to gambling in Britain.

"We hope this change will enhance the search experience for users and help advertisers connect with interested consumers."