Ever wondered how Google’s latest updates are shaking up the iGaming industry? The OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos team recently interviewed John Wright, a leading expert in the field, to find out.
We talked about the impact of these changes on gambling websites, the importance of top-notch content, and how to stay competitive in this evolving landscape.
Whether you’re deeply involved in iGaming or just curious, this interview is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
Key Highlights
- Quality content and user experience are more critical than ever in the wake of Google’s updates.
- Gambling sites with real authorship and valuable products are seeing better rewards.
- Creative link-building and a focus on local SEO can give sites an edge in competitive markets.
Interview with John Wright
John is the CEO and co-founder of StatsDrone. He’s been in iGaming and affiliate marketing for over 20 years and is the host of the Affiliate BI podcast.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the curtain of SEO strategy in the online casino world.
Can you explain the specific Google updates in the past year that have had the most significant impact on the gambling industry websites?
I think affiliate sites lost the most, whereas operators don’t seem to be that much different than before.
Google kickstarted this mess with the Helpful Content Updates (HCU), and they had to do something about the excessive number of AI sites that were launching and outranking legitimate sites.
In my opinion, it has changed SEO for the better. I wouldn’t want to be caught in this mess but there are some sites that did better than others.
My key takeaway is that quality is more important than anything.
An affiliate I know told me in Amsterdam, he had 3 major sites and a series of smaller ones. He said the smaller ones got smashed and the core 3 is where they are putting more time and effort into.
Authorship is more important than ever.
How have recent algorithm changes affected the ranking and visibility of gambling websites? Are there particular aspects of these updates that have been more challenging for this industry?
To give a different answer, I’d say Google rewards sites that have more of a product behind them.
If you’re just an informational portal without any intrinsic value being given to the user, this is what Google is having a somewhat easy time identifying.
Authorship is more important than ever. Sites that seem to be hit badly seem to have a lot of ghostwriters for their content. They don’t link back to real people who have a LinkedIn or X profile.
With Google’s increasing emphasis on content quality and E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), what specific content strategies should gambling sites adopt to stay competitive?
Affiliates need to completely change their mindset.
Ask yourself this question, if I was into this topic, would I read my own site? What would add more value to the user? Am I trying to be the best at this topic?
I mean, we got the irony of people writing the best online casino articles, but they put the minimum effort into them.
It is better to do put 10 hours into one article rather than 1 hour into 10 articles.
People buy from people, and the more you try to be a trusted source of information, the more you’ll make this happen.
Given the updates targeting link spam and unnatural links, what best practices should gambling sites follow to build a robust and compliant backlink profile?
Links still work these days and they are always going to be important.
Now if you think about what constitutes a quality article and a quality site, this is where you want your quality links from. This is now a bit harder to get or a bit more expensive.
The next set of winners in this space will be the creative types that can get links that others struggle to get.
How important is user experience (UX) and site speed for gambling websites in the context of recent Google updates? Can you share case studies or examples of UX improvements leading to better rankings?
I think both of the these items are important and hopefully you don’t have a site that is slow and with bad UX.
On my own B2B content sites, I’ve gone out of my way to do what I call pruning of content.
That is, I don’t just focus on a lot of content and making it authoritative but I try to add bold, internal links, external links and images.
The little details in UX are what add up over time. Anytime I’ve done these exercises whether 8 years ago or today, they always yield positive results.
With Google’s shift to mobile-first indexing, what common mistakes do gambling websites make, and how can they be addressed to ensure mobile optimization?
I’m guilty of doing this myself, which is not checking my mobile sites as often as I should. When you do this, you’ll realize quickly what you don’t like whether it is the design, navigation or site speed.
Ask your friends to review a few pages so you can see different GEOs and different browsers.
How can gambling websites leverage local SEO strategies to gain an edge, especially in regions with strict regulations and competition?
I’ve heard of stories where people put in the address of where the site or company is based, and it having an impact on rankings in that country.
Local SEO might not be as important in iGaming unless you have a site that is hosted in that country with a country code domain. It really depends on what your site is about.
Ask yourself the following: Is your target keyword no deposit casinos or no deposit casinos in Canada?
Content, UX, and your product offerings deserve more attention than Core Web Vitals.
How have gambling sites been performing concerning Core Web Vitals, and what steps should they take to improve their scores in light of Google’s updates?
Every edge in SEO is important, but Core Web Vitals are where some SEOs will go looking for in recovering lost rankings.
Content, UX, and your product offerings deserve more attention than Core Web Vitals.
When I interview a lot of SEOs on my Affiliate BI podcast, I hear more about product, content and value than I do of this.
How has the competitive landscape in the gambling industry changed since the update, and what tools or methods do you recommend for effective competitor analysis?
It has changed in many ways. First of all, the larger affiliates continue to get larger.
They have so much working in their favor:
- Larger budgets for link building
- Larger budgets to hire talented SEOs
- Larger budgets for quality content
- Larger budgets for bigger websites
- They can acquire smaller sites and instantly double their CPAs because of their power to negotiate deals
It doesn’t mean the smaller affiliate doesn’t have a chance, but these affiliates need to dig into the niche they have and add more of their personality to their site.
What proactive measures should gambling industry SEOs take to prepare for future Google updates? Are there emerging trends or technologies that they should focus on?
People need to think about quality. I’ll reference a book that I’m a big fan of which is Product-Led Growth by Eli Schwartz.
It is an evergreen book that affiliates should read. It will change your outlook on SEO and you’ll be thinking so far ahead that you won’t need to care as much about the latest updates.
Affiliates should be always focusing on Google Search Console, Google Analytics and then cross referencing this data with their revenue data.
How do you recommend gambling sites measure the impact of Google updates on their traffic and rankings? What key metrics should be monitored closely?
One thing affiliates don’t do enough of is understand and measure the value of their traffic.
Today, tools like StatsDrone, Keitaro, and Voluum can help you measure and understand the value of your traffic.
These tools can attribute your player values on your page.
For example, if a specific blog post generates 10 FTDs per month, each worth around $100 from a CPA perspective, and you’re just barely meeting your threshold, you need to consider what improvements can be made to increase the quality of players.
So to summarize this, I think affiliates should be always focusing on Google Search Console, Google Analytics and then cross referencing this data with their revenue data.
Given the updates, how should gambling websites balance their SEO efforts with paid advertising strategies to maintain visibility and traffic?
Paid advertising is tough. So, if you got an opportunity to use it, take advantage.
What I do know is that good SEOs will test content with paid ads to see if they should pursue a site or a series of content.
How can gambling websites differentiate their content to stand out in a crowded and competitive SERP landscape post-Google updates?
Not everyone wants to do this, but if you are the site owner, put your name and face on the site as the content author.
People buy from people, and the more you try to be a trusted source of information, the more you’ll make this happen.
A lot of content today that isn’t ranking anymore doesn’t seem to have that authority built in.
What role do AI and automation play in current SEO strategies for gambling sites, and how can they be leveraged to adapt to Google’s evolving algorithms?
I’m always asking SEOs how they use AI to their advantage. My personal take after getting so many answers back is use it for any edge you can get.
If it helps you automate stuff and save time, then that is your advantage.
If it can help for programmatic SEO, then use that to your advantage.
How do regulatory challenges and changes in the gambling industry interact with Google’s updates, and what strategies can help mitigate these dual pressures?
Unfortunately, these changes seem to benefit the grey markets more. Regulated markets are already challenging, and when programs start closing smaller affiliate accounts, it’s no surprise they move elsewhere.
I’m not sure if this directly affects Google, but it’s possible they might consider these factors in their rankings and algorithms, potentially favoring sites with a local license over those registered in places like MGA, Curaçao, or Anjouan.
Building a Competitive Edge in the Evolving iGaming World
John Wright’s insights paint a clear picture of how the iGaming landscape is evolving with Google’s latest updates.
The takeaway is simple: focus on quality content, build strong backlinks, and always keep the user experience front and center. These strategies aren’t just suggestions—they’re your roadmap to thriving in this competitive industry.
Ready to take the next step? Embrace these changes and position yourself for success in the ever-changing world of iGaming.
