Investigation into fraudulent co.nl clone sites
The co.nl extension was originally developed for websites belonging to Dutch companies and is administered by the independent CO.NL operator. Unfortunately, illegal gambling providers have begun abusing this domain structure. These unauthorized actors attempt to deceive consumers by replicating the exact web designs of licensed operators, replacing the official .nl extension with co.nl. Unsuspecting visitors to these fraudulent clones are subsequently redirected to underground illegal gambling platforms.
Following investigations into these deceptive practices, the Ksa coordinated directly with the CO.NL operator to address the security breaches. The operator cooperated fully with the regulatory body, ensuring that 26 misleading websites were taken offline within a maximum window of 48 hours after being reported. Nearly all 26 targeted domains were unauthorized copies of sites operated by legitimate license holders.
Expanding enforcement and follow-up actions
As part of its broader supervisory investigations into domains utilizing the .co.nl extension, the Ksa also uncovered various other hidden illegal gambling portals. To date, enforcement actions have resulted in the identification and removal of 86 total websites associated with co.nl abuse. The regulator continues to monitor domain registrations closely to protect consumers from fraudulent redirection and unauthorized cloning.
