The Responsible Affiliates Quality Mark (KVA) has reached out to Google again, urging the tech giant to take stronger action against false Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) complaints. The KVA claims that legitimate online gambling platforms and their affiliates in the Netherlands are being unfairly targeted by daily waves of unfounded copyright infringement reports. 

Filed by anonymous sources, these complaints are allegedly aimed at undermining the visibility of licensed operators in Google’s search results. According to the KVA, this tactic is designed to damage the online presence of legal businesses while benefiting illegal gambling operators and unlicensed affiliates.

Understanding DMCA Complaints and Their Impact

The DMCA was introduced in the United States in 1998 to protect copyright holders in the digital age. Under the law, platforms like Google are not held liable for copyright violations committed by users as long as they respond promptly to valid takedown requests. Complaints are typically submitted via a formal notice and takedown process, which Google facilitates through a dedicated online form. All submissions are made publicly available in the Lumen Database.

However, the KVA warns that this system is being misused through the filing of false complaints against websites associated with legal online casinos in the Netherlands.

Motives Behind the False Complaints

While the exact identity of the complainants is unknown, the KVA suspects their aim is to displace legal gambling websites from search rankings. This way, malicious actors can create more space for unregulated gambling services and increase traffic to non-compliant affiliates. 

Although Google rejects most of these false complaints, new submissions keep rolling in from foreign sources about content unrelated to online casinos or Dutch businesses. The situation has raised concerns about the vulnerability of search engine visibility and the potential for misuse of copyright enforcement mechanisms.

KVA Offers Support and Urges Action

The KVA has increased its communication with Google following previous concerns about illegal gambling ads appearing on the platform. In its latest correspondence, the organization seeks a collaboration with Google to reduce the visibility of unlawful operators in the Netherlands. 

However, the regulatory body emphasises that this recent surge in false DMCA complaints directly undermines their efforts. Google has been formally requested to step up its regulations by introducing mechanisms to detect abuse of the DMCA process. According to the KVA, this is essential to ensuring a fair digital landscape for legal gambling businesses operating in compliance with the law.