SEO firm Clickout Media is under scrutiny for acquiring reputable online news outlets and transforming them into vehicles for promoting offshore gambling sites. This practice, termed “parasitic SEO,” has raised concerns about the integrity of journalism and the exploitation of established digital brands.
Reports indicate that Clickout Media has bought a network of UK-based videogame and sports sites, replacing human writers with AI-generated content that prominently features links to casinos. Former employees, speaking anonymously, reveal that hundreds of websites have undergone similar transformations, shifting from valuable news platforms to content-heavy pages filled with casino advertisements.
One ex-employee described the chaotic work environment, detailing frequent shifts in writing guidelines that forced writers to produce gambling-related content. “I was moved from site to site. Writing guidelines and strategies changed every other week with very little explanation,” the source said. “At first, I didn’t write casino content, but then I wrote articles on bets and odds. Then AI articles started appearing.”
Clickout Media’s acquisitions have included notable sports sites, such as Sportslens and Football Blog, as well as gambling-related platforms like Gambling Insider, which reportedly sold for at least £12 million. Following these acquisitions, many of the sites have been penalized by Google, leading to layoffs and diminished visibility in search results. The site Esports Insider, for example, appears to have been removed from Google’s index, while other recently acquired sites like Videogamer have also faced similar fates.
A Google spokesperson confirmed that the company prohibits publishing content at scale primarily aimed at manipulating search rankings. This action is seen as part of a broader effort to combat parasitic SEO, where companies buy trusted sites solely to leverage their established credibility for profit. As part of this model, Clickout Media has been criticized for even exploiting charitable organizations; the Charlie Gard Foundation, a children’s cancer charity, has had its website repurposed to promote non-Gamstop casinos, which allow problem gamblers to bypass restrictions designed to protect them.
In another instance, the Road to Peace charity site, founded by car accident charity Brake, has also been redirected to online casinos. Such actions illustrate a troubling trend where reputable organizations are co-opted for profit-driven motives in the gambling sector.
Multiple freelance writers and staff members from various Clickout Media-owned sites have reported rapid changes post-acquisition, transforming many platforms into casino review sites. Notably, Techopedia, a previously respected tech site, has shifted its focus towards gambling and cryptocurrency investment content, ultimately leading to a Google penalty that has rendered it virtually invisible in search results.
Staff have described dire working conditions, noting they were paid as little as $1,200 a month for eight articles daily, with many being entirely AI-generated. The transformation of sites like Football Blog into casino marketing platforms showcases the strategic pivot towards gambling content, often at the expense of journalistic integrity. “The site’s front page now has a single large article advertising ‘The best non-gamstop casinos’,” a former employee remarked.
Founded by Sam Miranda and Adam Grunwerg, Clickout Media, which operates under the trading name Finixio, reported a turnover of £40 million in its last fiscal year, despite declaring a loss of £3 million and thus paying no taxes. The company has diversified its portfolio from mainly focusing on the casino sector to acquiring sports and videogame websites. However, the opaque nature of these transactions raises questions about ethical practices in digital media acquisitions.
SEO expert Kristoffer Holten stated in a 2023 interview that the company operates on a model where casinos pay to acquire traffic, often leading to significant profits made from gambling revenue. “The casinos are struggling to get players themselves and they’re all competing. They want to play individuals like us to get them as many players as possible,” he noted. This revenue model, which could yield as much as 35% of the money lost by gamblers, incentivizes rapid acquisitions and the transformation of established brands.
As Clickout Media continues to expand its influence, the implications for digital journalism and ethical content creation are profound. Independent experts warn that Google’s ongoing crackdown on manipulative practices could lead to severe repercussions for the sites involved. “Most of these sites are in it for quick wins. They fizzle out pretty quickly; either Google sees it and issues a manual penalty or addresses it through a major algorithm update,” said Vince Nero, director of content marketing at Buzzstream. As the digital landscape evolves, the intersection of gambling and online media merits close attention from regulators and the public alike.
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