GameMonetize for developers: SDK, ZIP upload, 45% share, payouts

GameMonetize is an HTML5 game distribution network. You integrate its ad SDK, upload the game as a ZIP, and the game joins a catalogue that publisher websites embed; ad revenue is shared with the developer and with the site that shows the game (FAQ). Unlike most portals covered on this site, it allows your branding and external links. It suits developers who want a simple integration and link freedom, and who can accept thin published rules. What follows is everything its public pages state as of 2026-09-30: the developers page, the SDK page, the FAQ, the SDK README on GitHub and three how-to posts on its blog. No developer terms of service were found on the site.

How submission and review work

The SDK page and the README describe the flow:

1. In the dashboard, open My games, click Add game and enter a title. Each game gets a unique gameId.
2. Integrate the SDK with that gameId.
3. Upload the ZIP under Game Management → My games.
4. Click Verify Game to confirm the integration works.
5. Click Request Activation. A content manager reviews and approves the game.

The upload walkthrough adds a practical detail: turn off your ad blocker on gamemonetize.com and let the demo ad play, or the Submit Game button stays locked. For a one-scene game it says to wait two minutes after first opening the test before pressing Show Banner.

No review timeline or rejection criteria are published. The FAQ only says editors check that games load and run without errors.

Technical requirements

The README’s HTML5 integration goes in index.html, in the head or body:

<script type="text/javascript">
  window.SDK_OPTIONS = {
    gameId: "your_game_id_here",
    onEvent: function (a) {
      switch (a.name) {
        case "SDK_GAME_PAUSE": pauseGame(); muteAudio(); break;   // ad about to play
        case "SDK_GAME_START": unmuteAudio(); resumeGame(); break; // ad finished
        case "SDK_READY": sdkReady = true; break;
      }
    },
  };
  (function (a, b, c) {
    var d = a.getElementsByTagName(b)[0];
    a.getElementById(c) || ((a = a.createElement(b)), (a.id = c),
      (a.src = "https://api.gamemonetize.com/sdk.js"), d.parentNode.insertBefore(a, d));
  })(document, "script", "gamemonetize-sdk");
</script>

// On the Play button and on win/lose screens.
// The README checks `sdk.showBanner !== 'undefined'`, which is always true; use typeof.
if (typeof sdk !== "undefined" && typeof sdk.showBanner === "function") {
  sdk.showBanner();
}

The README’s mandatory settings match what most portal SDKs ask: set your gameId, pause and mute on SDK_GAME_PAUSE (background audio under video ads is forbidden), resume on SDK_GAME_START. Despite its name, sdk.showBanner() is the call the README uses to show ads. The SDK page lists SDKs for Construct 2, Construct 3 and Unity as well, and says the SDKs were last updated in February 2026.

Packaging is the one build rule stated plainly. The ZIP’s root must contain index.html and the game files (README). The zipping guide says to select all files and compress them, not one enclosing folder, which can produce a “Game Not Found” error. Self-hosting instead of uploading requires contacting GameMonetize.

Ad placement: a blog post on ad locations says GameMonetize does not allow ads on the initial game load and recommends the Play button and the win/lose screens.

Links and branding: the FAQ says external links and your branding are allowed in all game types. That is the opposite of CrazyGames, Poki and GameDistribution, which all restrict outbound links, so a build prepared for GameMonetize needs its links reviewed before it goes anywhere else.

Nothing is published about file size, file count, loading time, mobile support, orientation, third-party ad SDKs, external requests, service workers or SharedArrayBuffer.

Monetization and payouts

The FAQ states a 45% revenue share for developers and 45% for publishers; if you are both the developer and the owner of the site showing the game, you get both shares, 90% in total. The pages describe revenue as coming from in-game advertising. The revenue base (gross or net, which costs are deducted) is not defined anywhere public.

Payouts are Net 30; the FAQ says money is sent “within 25 days of the previous month”, by PayPal or USDT (ERC20). The FAQ gives a $30 minimum for both methods and says smaller balances carry forward. Revenue reports are under Developer → Advertising in the dashboard.

Exclusivity and rights

No public page requires exclusivity. The SDK page says exclusive games can get exclusive publishing deals and higher eCPM, without stating the terms. Without developer terms of service, the licence scope, its duration, and what happens to copies on publisher sites after you remove a game are not published. Ask for the agreement in writing before relying on any of this.

AI-generated content

GameMonetize publishes no rule on AI-generated code or assets. Its blog does publish an AI game-builder prompt template that asks for kid-friendly level-based games with saves and ads only on Play and win/lose screens. Treat it as advice from the platform, not a submission policy.

Before you submit

• SDK_OPTIONS with the real gameId from your dashboard; SDK script loaded once.
• Pause and mute on SDK_GAME_PAUSE, resume on SDK_GAME_START.
• sdk.showBanner() on Play and win/lose screens only, never on load.
• ZIP with index.html at the archive root, not inside a folder.
• Ad blocker off when testing; demo ad watched; Verify Game passed.
• A 512×384 default image, category, tags, description and instructions (upload post).

The Portal Readiness Checker can check some of this locally: zip structure (index.html at the root), size and file count, whether SDK_OPTIONS, sdk.showBanner() and the pause/start events appear in the code, external URLs, service workers, SharedArrayBuffer use, viewport meta, touch handlers, audio before a user gesture and localStorage use. It cannot tell whether the demo ad played or Verify Game passed.

What is not published

• Developer terms of service: licence scope, duration, termination, removal.
• The revenue base behind the 45% figure.
• Any size, file-count or loading-time limit.
• Review timeline and rejection criteria.
• Mobile, orientation or browser requirements.
• Rules on third-party ads, external requests, service workers or cross-origin isolation.
• Terms of exclusive deals.
• An AI-content policy.