TLDR Dutch affiliate watchdog KVA says Google’s autocomplete feature is suggesting illegal online casinos to users. The group used Chrome’s incognito mode to find search terms like “online casino without CRUKS” appearing in autocomplete. KVA says Google has helped remove illegal casino ads but has not done enough about organic search results. Dutch MPs have raised similar concerns since December 2025, with limited enforcement against non-.nl domains. Sweden and Germany have also flagged search platforms as channels for illegal gambling promotion.
Dutch affiliate watchdog KVA has raised concerns about Google’s search suggestions. The group says autocomplete features are directing users toward unlicensed gambling sites.
KVA posted its findings on LinkedIn on Monday. The organization is known formally as Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates, a Dutch casino affiliate quality mark.
The group looked beyond paid Google ads. It focused on organic search features like autocomplete and suggested queries.
How KVA Found the Search Suggestions
KVA collected data mainly through Chrome’s incognito mode. This method excludes personalized search histories from the results.
Researchers found several autocomplete suggestions linking directly to illegal gambling platforms. One example was “online casino zonder Cruks,” which translates to online casino without CRUKS.
CRUKS is the Dutch self-exclusion registry for problem gamblers. Another flagged phrase was “beste online casino buitenland,” meaning best online casino abroad.
KVA said these suggestions may reflect manipulation by unauthorized operators. It believes some websites are built specifically to redirect Dutch users to illegal gambling offers.
The group acknowledged that Google has cooperated on removing paid ads for illegal casinos. However, it says the company needs to do more about organic search results.
Dutch Lawmakers Have Pushed on This Issue Before
Dutch MPs raised similar concerns in December 2025. CDA MP Straatman asked whether sites advertising as “best casinos without Cruks” should be