Belgian gambling sector sees sharp drop – what’s going on?
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31 Jan 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes 2025 started on a bad note because Belgian online gambling operators are experiencing a sharp drop in the number of deposits. Sources report to the editors of Gambling Club. According to the various sources, this decrease amounts to between 10% and 20%. This is due to several factors, such as seasonal spending patterns and possible changes in the google landscape with a core- and spam update in december that really came into force in January.
In comparison with December, where many players find themselves at home during the holidays, players have much less time in January to spend on games of chance. On top of that, they don’t take as much holidays in January as in December for example.
In addition, gambling websites with a well-functioning and user-friendly website have a competitive advantage compared to their sector colleagues. Websites that are not well-designed often see a drop in deposits when the general interest in games of chance is declining. This difference is reinforced by search engine updates that influence the visibility of websites in the search results.
Search engine updates affect gambling sites
Google regularly performs updates that eliminate poorly performing content or spam. As a result, traffic to gambling sites fluctuates greatly. Tech journalist Barry Schwartz of Search Round Table is closely following these developments.
He reports that search traffic in January shows major fluctuations. “Even without announced updates, we see fluctuations. This also has a direct impact on online casinos and sports betting.” we can conclude from Schwartz’s findings.
According to SEO experts such as Adam Gent, it is crucial to check URLs in Google Search Console. If a URL is not indexed, it means that Google does not prioritize it. This can lead to lower visibility and fewer visitors, which may further explain the drop in deposits at online gambling operators.
Comparison of Google updates in 2023 and 2024
Number of updates per year
In 2023, Google performed ten updates, while there have been eight updates so far in 2024. The absence of review and product review updates in 2024 is particularly striking.
Change in type of updates
In 2023, there were four core updates and one spam update. In 2024, the focus will be more on combating spam, with three spam updates. This will have direct consequences for websites, including gambling platforms, that rely on search engine traffic.
Duration of updates
Core updates will take longer on average in 2024 than in 2023. The longest update even took 45 days. Spam updates have become shorter, while ranking issues are resolved more quickly.
This means that gambling sites can be hit by negative changes in search results more quickly, but can also recover more quickly.
What does this mean for online gambling platforms?
Gambling operators must actively respond to these changes. A well-functioning website and a strong digital marketing strategy are essential to maintain online visibility after the recently installed restrictions.