SEO expert Frank Kruit warns: “Google is broken when it comes to gambling”
•
28 Aug 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes Frank Kruit doesn’t call himself a moralist, but his mission is clear: get rid of the junk in Google’s search results. And by junk, he means illegal gambling sites, dubious affiliate pages, and clever tricks that lure players to dangerous platforms.
In a new interview with Casinonieuws today, he shares hard examples of the lengths these parties go to.
DDoS attacks are no longer a coincidence, but a strategy.
In a previous interview with Gambling Club, Kruit already explained what’s going wrong. A few weeks later, he was able to uncover even more serious issues. Kruit explains that legitimate sites like MeneerCasino are increasingly being hit by DDoS attacks. These attacks aren’t just harassment.
They’re often precisely timed around major updates to Google’s algorithm. This way, rogue parties try to take their competitors offline just as rankings change.
This harms the position of legitimate sites. Google penalizes pages that are difficult to access. The damage is not only temporary, but also structural.
False copyright complaints make sites temporarily unsearchable.
Another method Kruit exposes is filing false DMCA complaints. In these cases, a malicious party copies the content of a legitimate site. They place the copied content on their own domain, backdate it, and then file a complaint with Google.
Google sees this and temporarily removes the original page from search results. Even if the complaint later turns out to be unfounded, the damage has already been done. The legitimate site has been invisible, especially at a crucial time.
Trustpilot helps illegal casinos through open profiles.
A striking example Kruit mentions is Trustpilot. Illegal casinos simply create public profiles there, including banners with bonuses and direct links to unlicensed gambling sites. This is completely illegal in the Netherlands. But with Trustpilot, it happens openly, without warning or disclaimer. According to Kruit, it’s shocking that a platform with so much authority allows such links, while sites like MeneerCasino or CasinoNieuws would immediately receive a warning from the regulator.
Illegal parties buy domains with old authority
Kruit also mentions that a growing number of illegal affiliates are buying up expired domains. For example, a site about solar panels suddenly transforms into a casino portal. Google doesn’t recognize this switch properly. As a result, such pages continue to rank high, even though the content has completely changed.
According to him, the problem lies deeply in Google’s algorithm. And as long as nothing changes there, these parties will continue to exploit technical loopholes.
Cloaking and manipulation remain difficult to stop
Illegal casinos use techniques like cloaking. In this case, a site shows Google a clean page, but only shows visitors gambling links. Manipulation of search suggestions is also becoming increasingly common. Players then automatically see terms like “best casino without Cruks,” which appear legitimate but aren’t.
The problem lies at the core of how search engines work. And that’s precisely why Kruit believes companies like Google and Trustpilot should take more responsibility.
Frank continues to urge action
Kruit is currently in talks with the Kansspelautoriteit. He has shared examples of networks that use these practices. Google is also aware of them. But according to him, a real solution remains elusive.
His message remains clear: as long as tech giants look the other way and illegal providers remain creative, there is little hope for a clean search results page. Yet he persists. With knowledge, with evidence, and with a clear call for change.