Google’s autocomplete system has come under scrutiny in the Netherlands after the Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA) identified search suggestions that can lead users toward unlicensed online gambling operators.
The Dutch casino affiliate quality mark said its checks found examples where ordinary casino-related searches produced suggestions connected with offshore gambling services. The organisation gathered most of its examples using Google Chrome’s incognito mode to reduce the influence of personalised search histories.
Among the phrases identified were “online casino zonder Cruks” and “beste online casino buitenland”. The first refers to gambling without Cruks, the Netherlands’ self-exclusion system for people experiencing gambling problems, while the second promotes searches for foreign online casinos.
KVA said the findings raise concerns about how unauthorised operators and websites designed to redirect Dutch users can influence search behaviour.
Organic Search Becomes Part of Black-Market Debate
The issue adds another layer to the Netherlands’ efforts to restrict access to illegal gambling. Attention has previously focused on advertising, although KVA said organic search deserves greater attention because search suggestions can appear before users reach conventional search results.
Google has already cooperated in removing paid advertisements for illegal online casinos. KVA said this action should extend further to organic search, including autocomplete predictions and websites whose main purpose involves sending Dutch consumers toward unlicensed gambling offers.
The concerns have also reached parliament. In December 2025, CDA MP Straatman asked whether websites promoting “Beste casino’s zonder Cruks” should be taken offline immediately. A written response published in January 2026 said enforcement remained limited in cases involving domains outside the .nl extension.
The role of major technology platforms also featured in a recent parliamentary gambling committee debate. VVD representatives called for a “harder stance” toward Google and Meta over their role in the illegal market.
State Secretary for Justice and Security Claudia van Bruggen said both companies remained willing to discuss the issue with the government. She also said the government would receive reports every six months covering illegal gambling advertising on the platforms.
European Regulators Examine Search Traffic
The Dutch concerns form part of a wider regulatory focus on the ways online platforms and search mechanisms can give unlicensed gambling businesses visibility.
Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has identified affiliates and social media as important channels for black-market advertising. Its concerns also include affiliate networks redirecting search traffic toward operators without licences.
Germany has seen progress through changes to Google’s advertising policy, according to the GGL, which credited the update with reducing the visibility of illegal gambling businesses. However, the regulator also acknowledged that operators can continue to appear in organic search by manipulating search engine optimisation.
The issue extends to website structures as well. Doorway pages, which can be created primarily to redirect visitors, have attracted attention in discussions about black-market gambling traffic in the UK.
For KVA, Google’s autocomplete results illustrate how consumers can encounter unlicensed gambling services before deliberately seeking out a specific operator. The organisation’s findings therefore place greater attention on the mechanisms that shape search discovery, alongside the enforcement of advertising rules.
Source:
“KVA flags Google search autocomplete link to illegal online casinos”, igamingbusiness.com, September 8, 2026
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