An artistic event became an unintended stage for online casinos. It has emerged that the website of the Haagse School Dag was misused by hackers.
The administrators of haagseschooldag.nl were deeply alarmed. The website, intended for an annual art festival in Nieuwkoop, was recently used to promote illegal online casinos.
Under the guise of a review for the Belgian PepperMill Casino, a page suddenly appeared redirecting players to unlicensed gambling sites, all without the organizers’ knowledge.
A hacked page, not a well-intentioned review
The page in question masquerades as an honest review of the legal PepperMill Casino. However, anyone clicking through quickly lands on shady, unlicensed gambling sites. The name of a well-known casino is being misused to instill false confidence.
According to Gambling Club, who discovered the abuse, this is no coincidence. Hackers deliberately search for smaller websites with domain authority and low security to hide their links.
Administrators knew nothing and are shocked
Upon being contacted by Gambling Club, the art site’s administrators confirmed they knew nothing about the page. Their reaction was one of shock. The site is intended for art, nature, and connecting with the local environment.
It was certainly not meant to lure people to dubious casinos. It is highly likely that the hackers gained access via a vulnerability in the content management system. The organization is currently working hard to remove the page.
PepperMill Casino name misused again
This isn’t the first time the name PepperMill Casino, a legal and reputable casino in Belgium, has been misused to abuse players. By using the names of legitimate casinos, scammers create a false sense of security. This well-established technique systematically redirects players to illegal platforms via affiliate links.
When questioned about the issue, PepperMill Casino confirmed that their name had once again been misused and that they are completely opposed to these practices.
“Protecting players has always been our priority, and we never allow our name to be associated with this kind of practice. We act at our level to block any illegal advertising or have these misleading pages removed.”
Why this case is bigger than just one hacked site
This incident demonstrates just how easily malicious actors exploit innocent platforms. Local cultural websites are particularly vulnerable. They often have little IT budget and are not standardly protected against these types of attacks.
At the same time, visitors trust these sites implicitly, which makes them extra attractive to online gambling networks trying to generate traffic via devious routes.
What is the Haagse School Dag?
The Haagse School Dag is an annual open-air art day. Around 25 artists work in and around the Nieuwkoopse Plassen (Nieuwkoop Lakes), inspired by the style of the Hague School. Their works are subsequently exhibited at Gallery Hoeve Rijlaarsdam.
The event attracts art lovers, hobbyists, and visitors from the region. The day revolves around nature, creativity, and meeting people. That is precisely why this digital intrusion hits so hard.