Visibility gone on layout doesn't affect child

Question

I want to hide a LinearLayout and all its subviews without taking any space. Normally GONE property should word but this is not the case. I have a LinearLayout containing children but if I apply adUnitLayout.setVisibility(View.GONE); then I still have a blank space on my screen (look at * on screen below).

I want to hide the first LinearLayout (@+id/adUnit) and all its subviews.

But with code below it works.

LinearLayout adUnitLayout = (LinearLayout)itemView;

for(int i=0; i < adUnitLayout.getChildCount(); i++) {
    adUnitLayout.getChildAt(i).setVisibility(View.GONE);
}

Why a simple adUnitLayout.setVisibility(View.GONE); doesn't work ?

Here is my layout

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/adUnit"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="10dp"
    android:background="@drawable/item_border_shadow">

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:paddingBottom="10dp">

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/nativeAdIcon"
            android:layout_width="50dp"
            android:layout_height="50dp" />

        <LinearLayout
            android:orientation="vertical"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:paddingLeft="5dp">

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/nativeAdTitle"
                android:lines="1"
                android:ellipsize="end"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:textSize="18sp"
                android:textColor="@android:color/black"/>

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/nativeAdBody"
                android:lines="2"
                android:ellipsize="end"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:textSize="15sp"
                android:textColor="@android:color/black"/>

        </LinearLayout>

    </LinearLayout>

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/nativeAdImage"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:scaleType="centerCrop"
        android:gravity="center"/>

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:padding="5dp"
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        android:weightSum="5">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="0dp"
            android:layout_weight="3"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:orientation="vertical">

            <RatingBar
                android:id="@+id/nativeAdStarRating"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                style="?android:attr/ratingBarStyleSmall"
                android:stepSize="0.1"
                android:visibility="gone"
                android:isIndicator="true" />

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/nativeAdSocialContext"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:lines="2"
                android:ellipsize="end"
                android:textSize="15sp"
                android:textColor="@android:color/black" />

        </LinearLayout>

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/nativeAdCallToAction"
            android:layout_width="0dp"
            android:layout_weight="2"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:textSize="16sp"
            android:visibility="gone" />
    </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>