For several months now, anyone typing ‘Vbet’ into Google has been redirected, not to the official vbet.nl site, but to a fake platform that fraudulently exploits the Vbet brand. A high-risk digital identity theft.
What exactly is going on?
When you search for Vbet online casino, the first result Google displays is a fake platform bearing the logo and name of the legitimate company. But when you try to register, log in or claim a bonus, you are directed to an illegal company. This fraudulent site redirects users to another unauthorised platform, currently identified as HiddenJack.
The page created to mislead users contains ‘Log in’, “Register” and ‘Receive a bonus’ buttons. Behind each of these, a series of redirects leads to an unauthorised operator in the Netherlands: HiddenJack. Although this site offers an interface in Dutch, it operates without authorisation from the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa).
What’s more, the URL structure is reminiscent of an affiliate programme, suggesting that it was an opportunistic affiliate who orchestrated the deception and not HiddenJack directly.
Ed Quigley, Regional Director of Vbet in the Netherlands:
“We reported these fraudulent sites to meldvalspel.nl several months ago, but to date we have received no response and no action has been taken. This raises serious questions about the usefulness of such reporting portals if they do not lead to meaningful follow-up or enforcement. We hope this situation will change quickly, not only because it is damaging reputation and revenue, but also because it is misleading players into thinking they are dealing with a licensed brand. In reality, they are playing with offshore operators who are unlicensed and have no duty to protect players.”
Why is the genuine vbet.nl disappearing from Google?
The licensed company Vbet does have an official website, vbet.nl, and also uses sponsored ads to list its content on Google. However, their site has disappeared from the natural results (SEO). Despite several requests, Google has not provided an explanation.
Ed Quigley:
“The situation with Google is very frustrating. In our case, fake websites using the VBET brand appear in organic search results, while vbet.nl – the licensed operator – has been completely removed. Although we have contacted Google, we have not received a clear explanation of how and why this is happening.”
The precedent: an impostor already in operation
Before this affair, another false version had already existed: vbet-casino nl. This platform, registered in Denmark, redirected users to FoxyGold, an unauthorised operator based in Costa Rica.
This second site no longer appears in the natural results for ‘Vbet’, but it remains active, ready to trap potential users.
Belgium also confronted with usurpation
The phenomenon observed around Vbet in the Netherlands is not isolated. In Belgium too, illegal sites are impersonating perfectly legal and recognised casinos, such as Napoleon Sports & Casino and Golden Palace. These fake sites, often hosted abroad, imitate the logos, colours and sometimes even the URLs of operators authorised by the Belgian Gaming Commission.The Gaming Commission regularly urges players to check the authenticity of a site before registering. Only the official domain on the GC’s white list guarantees that the site complies with Belgian legislation and offers a secure gaming environment.