VBet Struggles with Google Visibility Issues Amid Lack of Support

VBet Faces Visibility Challenges on Google

The Dutch gambling operator VBet has been dealing with significant difficulties in maintaining its online presence. For several months, the company’s website has failed to appear in Google search results, severely impacting its accessibility to potential users.

Origin of the Visibility Problem

These issues first emerged in December 2024 when Google’s search results for VBet started returning irrelevant illegal immigration websites instead of the operator’s official platform. This confusion has effectively made VBet’s site invisible to users searching through Google, despite VBet holding a valid Dutch gaming license.

Insufficient Support from Google and Reporting Portals

Despite extensive SEO efforts by VBet, the problem persists. The support from Google and the Dutch reporting portal Meld Vals Spel, which facilitates reporting of illegal gambling sites, has been minimal. VBet submitted all required reports to address the issue but received no meaningful feedback from regulators.

Ed Quigley, VBet’s regional director, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Meld Vals Spel, remarking that the portal seems ineffective if no actionable outcomes follow the reports. This reporting portal was designed to help Dutch citizens identify illegal gaming websites and ensure enforcement of local regulations.

Due to these search engine challenges, VBet has experienced a sharp decline in website traffic, with serious adverse consequences for its business.

Possible Causes and Lack of Resolution

David Mkrtchyan, head of SEO at SoftConstruct, speculated that Google may have mistakenly treated VBet as an unlicensed operation and penalized it unfairly. According to Mkrtchyan, this error could stem from internal misjudgment.

To date, Google has not reinstated VBet’s visibility. VBet representatives complain that Google’s assistance has been limited to recommending form submissions and increasing paid advertising, neither of which have resolved the issue. Moreover, Google has declined direct communication despite multiple inquiries, adding to the frustration.

Quigley suggested that Google’s dominant position in the market contributes to its indifference towards VBet’s predicament.

Considering Regulatory Intervention

Up to now, VBet has refrained from involving the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling regulatory authority, but the operator is now contemplating taking this step in the hope of finding a resolution.