Controversial tactics are becoming increasingly common in the gambling sector – are DMCA complaints being used as a weapon?  

The DMCA complaint was originally intended as a legal instrument to protect copyright. However, criticism of the use of this procedure is becoming increasingly common within the online gambling and affiliate world. According to various SEO specialists and affiliate owners, DMCA requests are not always used to tackle copyright infringements, but also to push competitors out of Google’s search results.  

This practice is said to be becoming increasingly common, particularly in the battle for lucrative positions within the online gambling market.  

What is a DMCA complaint?  

DMCA stands for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a US copyright law that has been in force since 1998.  

Through a DMCA request, rights holders can report content that they believe infringes their copyright. Such complaints are often submitted to Google, hosting providers, domain registrars and social media platforms.  

When a complaint is accepted, pages may disappear from search results or content may be temporarily taken offline.  

For websites that rely on organic traffic, this can have major consequences.  

Significant impact on visibility  

Removal from Google can lead directly to a drop in visitor numbers, advertising revenue and affiliate turnover.  

For websites operating in competitive markets such as online gambling, the removal of a single page can cost thousands of visitors per month.  

This is precisely why the DMCA procedure is seen by some market players as a powerful means of causing harm to competitors.  

Allegations of abuse  

Within the international iGaming sector, there has long been discussion of so-called ‘weaponised DMCA’s’, i.e. copyright claims that are strategically deployed against competitors.  

According to critics, dubious or even false claims are sometimes submitted in this context. In some cases, a competitor is said to claim ownership of content originally published by another party.  

Attention is also regularly drawn to situations where texts are copied, after which a copyright claim is subsequently filed against the original author.  

Although such allegations are difficult to prove, several SEO specialists report that the number of suspicious DMCA requests has increased in recent years.  

Why is this particularly the case in the gambling market?  

The explanation lies largely in the value of search engine traffic. 

Search terms relating to online casinos, sports betting and bonuses are among the most competitive and profitable search terms on the internet. A top ranking on Google can be worth tens of thousands of euros a month for affiliates and operators.  

This creates a financial incentive to remove competitors from the search results.  

According to various market experts, this problem is particularly prevalent among networks that are active in multiple countries and operate from jurisdictions where regulation is limited.  

Conflict over illegal operators  

The debate is made all the more sensitive by the fact that many European regulators are currently trying to crack down on illegal gambling operators.  

At the same time, various experts point out that some parties in the illegal gambling market are reportedly taking increasingly aggressive action against websites that expose or criticise their activities.  

This ranges from legal threats and complaints procedures to attempts to have content removed via copyright claims.  

Some affiliate experts even argue that DMCA notices have now become part of a broader battle for online visibility.  

Defence possible  

A DMCA notice does not automatically mean that a website will disappear permanently. However, Belgian websites are also affected by this. 

If a complaint is unfounded, the affected party can usually submit a counter-notice. In doing so, they must demonstrate that the content is original or that there has been no copyright infringement.  

In many cases, Google or a hosting provider can then make the content available again. 

However, this process takes time, whilst damage to traffic, turnover and rankings may already have occurred in the meantime.  

Growing concerns within the sector  

Although DMCA procedures remain a legitimate means of protecting copyright, concerns are growing within the gambling industry about their potential misuse.  

Particularly in a market where online visibility is directly linked to revenue, a single complaint can have major consequences.  

The debate therefore no longer revolves solely around copyright, but also around the question of whether legal instruments are being used for their intended purpose, or increasingly as a competitive weapon in one of the most competitive online sectors in the world.