The gambling sector is often described as a complex and ambiguous space, balancing individual freedom with the imperative to protect people from potential harm. This duality can be difficult for those outside the industry, particularly non-gamblers, to understand.
While gambling may present a moral gray area, ethical considerations are crucial for those working within the field. My guiding principle has always been to collaborate with individuals committed to ethical practices while enjoying my work. This approach has served me well and has repeatedly affirmed its value in my professional life. I aim to align my work with my personal ethics, simplifying my motivations. I prioritize honesty, ensuring that the truth directs my actions, despite the occasional obstacles I face.
I recall a quote that resonates with me: "If you never lie, you never have to remember anything." This thought resonates particularly because my memory struggles unless the conversation turns to movies from the late 20th century.
Unfortunately, not everyone shares this straightforward approach to ethics, as I’ve recently observed a troubling increase in content theft within gambling journalism. Content originally crafted by authors is being unceremoniously copied and reposted without attribution. While reputable news outlets typically credit sources or provide links to their original materials, countless websites have emerged that engage in outright theft of B2B gambling content, repackaging and selling it as their own work. This practice raises serious concerns about authenticity, especially when sites look credible but aren't subjected to rigorous checks on content origins.
Producing quality journalism is labor-intensive and costly. Research, interviews, and thorough fact-checking require significant time and expertise. By contrast, stealing content often merely involves technology and a blatant disregard for ethical standards.
In recent years, the B2B gambling space has witnessed a merger of news portals with affiliate marketing functions. However, my criticism isn't aimed at those legitimate affiliates. Instead, I’m concerned about the numerous sham sites that emerge weekly, lacking creativity or resources and resorting to content theft instead of original creation, hoping to make quick profits without putting in the necessary effort.
The term "bad actors" is frequently used to describe unethical individuals in the industry, and it seems apt in this context. One notorious figure in this regard has become a representation of these bad practices: Steven Seagal.
Zoltán Tűndik of Hipther shared his concerns over widespread content scraping, recalling when his former site, EuropeanGaming.eu, faced imitators. While some sites credited his work, Zoltán discovered others had copied the entirety of his site, even including author bios. He stated, "This was way before AI agents. Now with AI agents you can replicate a website in 30 minutes…"
Mihail Criclevit from OnlyiGaming faced similar challenges. At first, he tolerantly monitored copycats, but the situation worsened. "The first one that stole content from me literally stole my design piece by piece, even my icons," Mihail explained, noting he later found a site that duplicated his entire web presence. "Once you add a company on my platform, you add it yourself. I’m not creating the content for you. The business creates the content." The extent of the copying he encountered was staggering.
Mihail even recognized the offender within an industry forum but was dismissed when he raised the issue, branded as "too negative". This climate leaves little recourse for protecting original content. Conventional paths often lead to legal letters politely requesting adherence to ethical standards, which many thieves blatantly ignore.
Such unethical practices are not confined to the gambling industry; they permeate various sectors globally. This raises a pivotal question: What kind of person do you aspire to be each day?
Your actions are neither born of necessity nor nobility. At best, you're not a Robin Hood figure; at worst, you're a common thief leveraging new technologies to engage in unethical behavior that you likely understood was wrong from an early age.
When asked about your profession, what do you say? Do you identify as a banker or real estate agent, or do you openly admit to stealing content online, likening yourself to a b-list action star in terms of flair? This industry is relatively small, and those who engage in such practices will inevitably cross paths with those they've wronged in various industry settings, raising the likelihood of direct confrontation soon.
