“Google is taking action, but…” — expert highlights persistent casino tricks
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29 Mar 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes
Frustration is running high. Since yesterday, Google has been rolling out its March 2026 Spam Update, with one goal: to remove rubbish from search results. But anyone looking at casino keywords sees something different. Illegal tricks remain visible and are actually targeting the most vulnerable players.
New update aims to tackle spam but reveals loopholes
Google’s new update targets spam and the misuse of search results. That sounds like good news, especially after months of criticism of dubious gambling sites ranking highly.
There are visible signs of change. So-called parasite sites – large platforms that use their strong brand to boost gambling pages’ rankings – appear to be losing some ground. This effect has become noticeable recently.
But the problem hasn’t gone away. It has simply shifted.
Old domains are being given a new lease of life as bait
A distressing example emerged today. The domain mentalhealthscreening.org, once established by an American mental health charity, has been taken over and repurposed for gambling purposes.
For years, people could turn to it for help with depression, anxiety and suicide risk. Now the same address serves as a gateway to illegal casinos. The target group that once sought protection is now being lured in.
The site looks trustworthy. At the bottom, there are links to support organisations and the Dutch exclusion register. At the top, a well-known casino name from the past is prominently displayed. Everything seems to add up, but that impression is misleading.
Clever channelling of authority sustains the system
The method is sophisticated. Old, strong domains build up a ranking on Google. As soon as that ranking declines, the accumulated value is transferred to a new domain via a technical workaround.
This creates a chain. Domains without a reputation of their own piggyback on the strength of older sites. This is done via addresses ending in variants such as .eu, .uk.com or .eu.org.
These sites often fall outside the reach of Dutch regulators. Intervention is difficult, whilst visibility persists.
Illegal visibility persists despite stricter rules
The battle against illegal gambling is being fought not only in the realm of legislation, but also in search engines. Whilst rules are being tightened and supervision is increasing, providers are constantly finding new routes.
This creates an uneven playing field. Legal operators face restrictions, whilst illegal networks continue to emerge through technical tricks.
The recent update shows that steps are being taken, but also that the problem is persistent. Behind the scenes, the game continues, domain after domain.