VBet Netherlands Faces Google’s Unresponsiveness Amid Illegal Site Rankings

Since December 2024, VBet Netherlands has been missing from Google’s search results, replaced by illegal imitation sites posing as the legitimate operator. Despite being a licensed operator in the Netherlands, the company has faced challenges in regaining its visibility online.

VBet, owned by BetConstruct, has been unable to resolve the issue despite months of effort and multiple communications with Google and Dutch authorities. The issue began when Google’s search engine started showing unlicensed imitation platforms when users searched for VBet Netherlands. This problem persists, making it nearly impossible for Dutch players to find the legitimate site via organic search results.

After initially reporting the issue to Google and the Dutch reporting portal, Meld Vals Spel, VBet has received minimal assistance. Ed Quigley, VBet’s Regional Director, expressed frustration with the lack of support: “What is the point of a portal if nothing’s going to be done with it?” Despite reporting the illegal imitation sites to Meld Vals Spel on May 5, 2025, VBet only received an automated response, with no further follow-up from either the reporting portal or the Dutch gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).

The Meld Vals Spel portal, established by VNLOK and NOGA in 2024, was designed to help tackle illegal gambling websites by allowing the legal gambling sector to report violations. However, according to VBet, the portal has not provided any meaningful action, which has contributed to financial losses and a reputation hit for the company.

Despite extensive efforts to fix the issue through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), VBet has not been able to regain its rightful place on Google’s search results. The company’s SEO Team Lead, David Mkrtchyan, suggested that negative SEO or an algorithmic error might be to blame, with Google mistakenly penalizing the legitimate site, leaving the illegal sites untouched.

VBet’s SEO team, alongside external experts, has worked tirelessly to address the problem, but Google’s advice has been largely unhelpful. VBet was directed to submit forms and increase their pay-per-click (PPC) spend, but this has not led to any improvement. Despite submitting multiple tickets, Google has not responded effectively, and the operator is still unable to communicate directly with the relevant teams responsible for organic search penalties.

Quigley described the situation as “disastrous,” both financially and reputationally, with crucial website traffic being diverted to the imitation sites. “We can’t speak to whoever you would need to speak to,” Quigley said, emphasizing the difficulty of dealing with Google’s lack of engagement.

While VBet has yet to escalate the matter to the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), it is now considering doing so. However, Quigley and his team have refrained from involving the Dutch regulator thus far, instead focusing on resolving the issue with Google and Meld Vals Spel. The next logical step, as Quigley sees it, may be to turn to the KSA if Google continues to remain unresponsive.

Top Roulette casinos

up to

£30

Overall Rating

92

Visit Casino Read Review

100% up to

₹15000

Overall Rating

91

Visit Casino Read Review

100% up to

€100

+ 50 Free Spins

Overall Rating

88

Visit Casino Read Review

In the meantime, VBet is continuing to work on its SEO strategies internally and with external consultants, hoping to regain visibility and stop the harm caused by the imitation sites.

The ongoing issue has already caused a significant drop in traffic, which directly impacts conversion rates and consumer trust. As Quigley pointed out, the issue has resulted in lost business and frustration among Dutch players, who have been unable to find the legitimate VBet website due to the presence of unlicensed alternatives.

Sources:

Gambling Insider – No help on the way for VBet Netherlands, unsearchable on Google for seven months, gamblinginsider.com, July 29, 2025