Frank Kruit has once again uncovered something remarkable. He is now known as someone who tracks down illegal gambling practices, and this time he has hit the jackpot. What started as a technical investigation into SEO spam ended in a discovery that will leave you speechless.
A site that looks suspiciously similar to the official OneCasino website turns out to be nothing what it seems. And what’s behind it? A cunning attempt to lure players to an illegal provider.
Frank Kruit discovers a fake site posing as the real OneCasino
During a routine check of suspicious domain names, it caught his eye: one-casino.org. At first glance, the site looks neat. The name seems reliable. Everything checks out – until you click through.
Because when you click on the buttons, you don’t end up at the legal nl.onecasino.com, but at a completely different provider. A shady site called Hidden Jack, which is not licensed in the Netherlands or Belgium. And yet everything seems so familiar. Why? Because this fake site uses real Trustpilot reviews from OneCasino.
Frank calls this trick ‘new and scary at the same time.’ Because even seasoned players would fall for it.
Deception is becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous for players
The clever thing about this setup is not just the name or the layout. It’s the trust that the site exudes. By displaying real reviews and visually presenting itself as a legitimate provider, the site dispels any alarm bells visitors might have.
This is not a clumsy scam, but digital deception of the highest order. Players think they are safe, when in fact they could lose their money with a single click.
Kruit has exposed similar tricks in the past, including in his fight against fraudulent gambling sites that imitate honest providers. The pattern is clear: those who play legally are increasingly becoming the target of illegal copies.
Higher taxes are driving players to illegal sites
What makes this discovery even more galling is the bigger picture. Plans to increase gambling taxes are driving more and more players to look for alternatives. And no, these are rarely safe alternatives.
Illegal providers sense an opportunity. They roll out the red carpet for new visitors. And they do so in clever ways, with websites that resemble real casinos, complete with logos, reviews, and sometimes even support.
According to Kruit, SEO plays a major role in this. Unlicensed gambling sites try to get their fake sites high in the search results. This trick is common, as evidenced by his earlier research into honest casinos being pushed out by spam.
Players need to be better protected against digital traps
This case shows how quickly illegal parties capitalise on uncertainty among players. They use technology, copywriting and psychological tricks to persuade people.What is needed is a better warning system. Not only from regulators, but also from search engines, platforms and the media. Because even if the reviews are genuine, how can the average player tell what is fake?