Is search arbitrage allowed by Google?
Yes, within limits. Google's AdSense for Search policies let publishers buy traffic to pages carrying related search units, provided the adverts accurately describe the destination, the page has real value, and the traffic is genuine. Since 1 November 2025 publishers must also pass Google the exact text of the advert that brought each visitor. Breaking these rules ends the account.
Google never uses the word "arbitrage" approvingly, but its help pages for Related Search on Content set out when paid traffic acquisition is acceptable. The source must describe the destination accurately and must not promise things the page cannot deliver. Content-style pages are expected to use "learn more" style language rather than promising an offer.
The controls are technical as well as written. The referrerAdCreative parameter lets Google compare the promise in the advert with the search terms shown. Publishers out of good standing lose advanced features. And the advertiser side has its own veto through the advertiser opt-out. So "allowed" means permitted under supervision, not endorsed.