With Google announcing the biggest changes to search last week, Ivana Flynn takes a closer look at how this could fundamentally shift the role of affiliates in iGaming.
Google is making huge changes to their search functionality – it’s the biggest upgrade to the search box in more than 25 years.
The company has started transforming the classic search bar into an AI-first ‘search + assistant’ interface.
The short version: old Google = keyword retrieval engine; and new Google = AI answer engine with search underneath.
According to Google, the new search experience will:
- Expand dynamically, allowing users to describe their queries in greater detail;
- Offer AI-powered suggestions to help users phrase questions more effectively, beyond standard autocomplete;
- Support multimodal search inputs, including text, images, files, videos, and even Chrome tabs;
- Enable seamless follow-up questions from AI Overviews directly into AI Mode;
- Maintain conversational context as users continue exploring a topic; and
- Continue showing a variety of traditional search results alongside AI-generated responses.
What does this mean for iGaming affiliates?
1) AI Mode is the default search experience
Google is integrating Gemini 3.5 Flash directly into search and expanding AI Mode globally. Search becomes more conversational and context-aware instead of just keyword-based, meaning follow-up conversations stay contextual.
The changes come as users ask longer, more specific questions (the public stopped searching for ‘online casinos’).
Going forward, AI summaries and recommendations will appear before traditional blue links and search now supports text, images, files, videos and tabs.
2) Google introduces search agents
AI agents represent one of Google’s biggest shifts in search because they move beyond simply answering questions in real time – instead, they work continuously in the background on behalf of the user.
3) Search becomes more agentic
One of the most significant changes Google announced is its shift from being a traditional search engine that simply displays links, to becoming an AI-powered assistant capable of actually completing tasks for users.
What does this mean for SEO optimisation?
As Google’s AI becomes better at comparing and summarising information directly within search, generic comparison pages are likely to lose value, while original expertise, trusted insights, and unique data become increasingly important.
At the same time, transactional search will become more competitive. SEO will focus more on being referenced by AI systems rather than simply ranking pages, and user journeys may become shorter as people move directly from AI recommendations to operators.
So can igaming affiliates do?
1) Optimise for conversational search
Users are asking longer, more detailed questions instead of short keyword phrases.
Instead of optimising for keywords and targeting like this: ‘best online casino Norway‘, you should move to optimising for long tail keywords and conversational queries, such as: ‘What is the best online casino in Norway for fast withdrawals?’ or ‘which casinos have low wagering requirements and support Trustly?’.
Pro-SEO tips
- Use natural language in headings
- Add FAQ sections
- Target long-tail and intent-driven queries
- Write content that directly answers questions
- Include comparison-style wording and real user concerns
2) Create content for AI summaries, not only rankings
AI Overviews now appear before traditional organic listings, meaning Google may summarise your content instead of sending clicks to your website.
When creating content, think to yourself: ‘Can Google easily understand and quote this?’
Pro-SEO tips
- Answer key questions clearly within the first paragraphs – for first sentences, use BLUF (bottom line up front).
- Use concise definitions and summaries.
- Structure content with headers (H2, H3 etc.), bullet points (very helpful for this type of content; alongside tables and FAQs.
3) Build topical authority, not isolated pages
As follow-up conversations remain contextual, Google evaluates how deeply your site covers a topic.
Topical authority means Google sees your site as a trusted expert on a subject – not just a collection of random casino review pages.
For igaming affiliates, this is becoming one of the biggest ranking factors in AI-driven search.
Pro-SEO tips
- Create content clusters around themes. For example: for payments, you could have:
- Trusted casinos
- Pay ‘n’ play casinos
- Skrill casinos
- Crypto casinos
- Instant withdrawal casinos
- Interlink related pages logically, make sure your internal linking structure is good, helpful to humans and bots. For example: best crypto casinos story should have links to:
- Bitcoin casino guide
- Crypto withdrawal speed comparison
- Anonymous gambling guide
- Crypto casino regulations
- Topical depth matters more than exact-match keywords.
4) Increase brand signals and EEAT
AI systems increasingly favour trusted, recognisable, and authoritative sources when generating answers and recommendations. This means websites with strong brand recognition, consistent expertise, original content, and a proven reputation are far more likely to be referenced, cited, or surfaced in AI-driven search results than generic or low-authority affiliate sites.
Pro-SEO tips
Marketers should strengthen:
- Author profiles
- Expertise signals
- Original reviews
- Social proof
- Mentions across the web
- Branded search demand
For affiliates, this means the following becomes increasingly important.
- Building newsletters
- YouTube channels
- Communities
- Social presence
- Branded searches
5) Optimise beyond text content
As Google search becomes increasingly multimodal, SEO is no longer focused solely on written content. Search engines can now understand and surface information from images, videos, files, and interactive media, meaning affiliates who invest in visual and multimedia content will have a stronger opportunity to improve visibility, engagement, and authority in AI-driven search results.
Pro-SEO tips
- Add original screenshots and visuals
- Optimise image filenames and alt text
- Create short-form video explainers
- Use charts, comparison tables, and infographics
- Add transcripts to videos
- Upload downloadable guides/checklists where relevant
For igaming affiliates, you should consider:
- Casino walkthrough videos (example step-by -step registration process)
- Bonus claim tutorials
- Payment method visuals
- RTP comparison charts
What is the threat?
The idea that Google could eventually become the ‘middleman affiliate’ is one of the biggest long-term strategic risks facing the igaming affiliate industry.
Traditionally, affiliates have acted as the intermediary between players and casino operators.
The typical journey currently looks like this: user searches → affiliate website → casino operator
Instead of simply showing websites, Google is moving toward AI-generated recommendations, personalised comparisons, direct transactional flows, and integrated actions inside search.
In other words, Google may eventually try to handle the same role affiliates currently provide.
For example, in the future a user might search: What’s the safest crypto casino with fast withdrawals and low wagering requirements?
Instead of showing 10 affiliate websites, Google’s AI could potentially: compare operators directly, summarise bonus terms, rank casinos based on reviews or data, personalise recommendations, show payment methods, display withdrawal speeds, and integrate signup actions – all within the search interface.
The experience could become: search → AI recommendation → casino sign-up
Google’s latest AI search updates mark a major shift in how users discover information online. Search is becoming more conversational, personalised, multimodal, and AI-driven, with answers, recommendations, and interactive experiences increasingly appearing before traditional organic results.
For igaming affiliates, this means traditional SEO strategies focused on generic comparison pages and mass-produced content may become less effective over time.
As AI systems increasingly favour trusted brands, original insights, real expertise, and useful content, affiliates will need to focus more on building authority, community, proprietary data, and strong brand recognition rather than relying purely on keyword-driven traffic.
Ultimately, Google search is shifting from helping users find websites to helping users get answers and complete tasks. It is fundamentally changing the role affiliates play in the customer journey.
Ivana Flynn is an SEO consultant working predominantly within the igaming industry.
