CasinoScout.nl Sold: Controversial shift to promoting illegal gambling sites

CasinoScout.nl, once one of the most respected iGaming affiliate platforms in the Netherlands, was sold on January 10, 2025 by its owner, Topline Media Ltd. The announcement of the sale, posted on the Maltese company’s official website, was vague. No details were given about the buyer or the amount of the transaction.

According to information relayed by CasinoNieuws, the site was acquired by the British organizations SBM Holding Group and JEF Holding Ltd. Since then, CasinoScout.nl has moved away from its initial model to promote unlicensed online gaming platforms in the Netherlands.

Promoting Illegality

Before the sale, CasinoScout.nl presented comprehensive information about legal online casinos. After the transaction, the homepage was transformed, featuring unlicensed casinos and offering links like “Casino zonder cruks” (casino without cruks, the player exclusion list, equivalent to the Belgian EPIS list) and “Casino zonder vergunning” (unlicensed casino) in its navigation menu. Clicking on these links redirects users to unregulated platforms, bypassing the strict laws of the Netherlands.

Although the site is full of warnings about the risks of playing on an unlicensed site, it is nonetheless very actively promoting it as can be seen in their latest news article: Online Casino zonder Cruks – Top 10 No Cruks Casinos 2025 published on January 17.

CasinoNieuws.nl also reported that the new management is using revamped content. The majority of the articles are now attributed to an author named Jan Vermeer, with an artificial-looking photo. These changes reinforce concerns about the ethics of the operation.

Unanimous disapproval

The Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA), an association that guarantees the ethics of affiliates, has revoked CasinoScout.nl’s membership. Steven Vrolijk, president of the association, said:

“If the new owner knowingly chooses to promote unlicensed casinos, this illustrates the dangers that we have often highlighted. The presence of illegal players in this sector is alarming.”

In addition, the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch gaming regulator, had fined CasinoScout in 2021 for promoting unregulated casinos. After switching to licensed operators, the platform appears to have returned to illegal practices.

CasinoNieuws.nl alert

CasinoNieuws.nl, while investigating the changes to CasinoScout.nl, denounced the links to illegal sites. Their investigation revealed that some users still see recommendations for legal platforms, while others only access non-compliant sites. These contradictions highlight the new owner’s unclear strategies to circumvent local rules.

We tested it ourselves by visiting the CasinoScout website.

On the homepage of the site, CasinoNieuws was able to see this list of the best casinos in the Netherlands, ranked according to different criteria, including the best casinos without an account or casinos on Telegram.

While we simply saw a top of the best casinos in the Netherlands including illegal sites as well as a list of all legal casinos. Confirming the investigation carried out by CasinoNieuws on the unclear and changing content of the site according to the visitors.

Promotion of illegal sites: Belgium also concerned

The problem of sites promoting illegal casinos is not limited to the Netherlands.

In Belgium, affiliated sites such as Casinoenligneguru also promote illegal platforms. On their site, the top 10 is composed only of illegal casinos in Belgium, even including sites listed and blocked by the Belgian Gaming Commission such as Nine Casino.

These practices expose players to financial and legal risks. The Belgian Gaming Commission reminds us that only sites holding a local license are authorized.

This is why, at Gambling Club, we encourage you to remain vigilant. To help you always make the right choice, we have provided you with a guide explaining the difference between a legal and illegal casino. We also maintain an up-to-date list of illegal casinos recognized by the gaming commission.