On Monday, the Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA), a quality mark for Dutch casino affiliates, expressed alarm over Google's search functionalities that may lead Dutch users to illegal online gambling sites. In a post on LinkedIn, KVA emphasized the risks associated with Google’s organic search features, which extend beyond paid advertising, such as autocomplete and suggested search queries.
The KVA gathered data predominantly from Chrome’s incognito mode to avoid personalized search histories, discovering numerous autocomplete queries that pointed users toward illegal gambling platforms. Examples of these search phrases included "online casino zonder Cruks"—meaning online casino without CRUKS, which is the Dutch self-exclusion registry for those dealing with gambling problems—and "beste online casino buitenland," translating to best online casino abroad.
The organization raised concerns regarding the possible manipulation of Google’s autocomplete feature by unauthorized operators, highlighting that some websites exist solely to guide Dutch consumers toward unlawful gambling options. While KVA recognized Google's efforts in removing paid advertisements for illegal casinos, it stressed that a more thorough approach is necessary for addressing organic search results.
Dutch lawmakers have echoed these concerns in the past. In December 2025, CDA MP Straatman questioned the state secretary about whether sites branded as "Beste casino’s zonder Cruks" should be taken offline without delay. In response, published in January 2026, former state secretary Arno Rutte noted that enforcement against such websites remains limited, especially with domains not registered under the .nl extension.
The current state secretary for Justice and Security, KT van Bruggen, pointed out the urgent need for effective measures to restrict access to illegal platforms. A cross-party committee of MPs has also voiced worries regarding the roles of Meta and Google in supporting black market gambling. Lawmakers from the VVD party have called for a tougher stance against these major tech companies.
Van Bruggen mentioned that both Meta and Google are willing to keep an open dialogue with the government. The government is set to receive a report every six months on illegal gambling advertising appearing across these platforms.
The KVA's statements reflect a wider trend across Europe, where regulatory bodies are scrutinizing the ways in which large online platforms channel traffic to unlicensed gambling services. In Sweden, Spelinspektionen recently flagged affiliates and social media as significant vectors for black market promotions and highlighted how affiliate networks redirect search traffic toward unlicensed operators.
Regulators have primarily focused on monitoring paid advertisements. In Germany, the GGL recognized that a revised Google ad policy has helped decrease the visibility of black market gambling operations, but acknowledged that SEO manipulation allows illegal operators to remain visible in organic search results. This shift signals a broader move toward tackling organic search signals and domain-level practices, such as doorway pages, a concern also reported in the UK, where research connects black market promotion to search-driven tactics and SEO exploitation.
