What is a mirror website?
A mirror website is an exact duplicate of an original website that is hosted on a different domain or server. Its primary purpose is to provide users with alternative access to the same content, especially useful in handling high traffic, regional restrictions, or technical outages.
How does a mirror website work?
Mirror websites host identical content to the original site but are hosted separately on different servers or domains. They can function independently or redirect visitors automatically to the main site, ensuring a seamless user experience.
Mirror websites ensure the continuous availability of online services. In the iGaming industry, they are particularly important for bypassing regional blocks, managing traffic spikes during major events, and ensuring uninterrupted access during technical issues or regulatory interventions.
Mirror websites can be set up in several ways:
- Separate website: Independent site with identical content.
- Automatic redirect: Automatically redirects users to the primary website.
- Multiple domain hosting: Same website accessible through various domain names.
Advantages of using mirror websites:
- Ensures uninterrupted service and improved user satisfaction.
- Efficiently manages server loads and traffic distribution.
- Protects brand integrity by controlling similar or misleading domain names.
Examples of mirror website usage.
Regional blocks.
If a government's regulations result in blocking the original domain (e.g., brand.com), operators quickly deploy mirrors like brand1.com, brand2.com, brand-site.com. Players use these alternative domains until authorities also block these new mirrors. This cycle often repeats in markets with strict regulations.
Increased availability.
During scheduled maintenance or server migration, mirrors are temporarily used to ensure continuous user access without service disruption.
Protection from cybersquatters.
Brands proactively register alternative domain extensions (brand.net, brand.org, brand.co) to prevent cybersquatters from using similar domain names.
Simplified addresses and rebranding.
iGaming brands with complex domain names such as “mega-ultra-super-bet.com” might register simpler mirror domains like “mega.bet”, improving accessibility, user recall, and facilitating smoother rebranding.
Advice on using mirror websites.
SEO best practices specific to mirror websites:
- Implement canonical tags to indicate the primary domain clearly, helping search engines recognize original content and prevent duplicate content penalties.
- Maintain updated sitemaps for all domains involved.
- Use consistent internal linking strategies to reinforce the primary domain’s SEO value.
Tips for iGaming brands:
- Clearly inform customers about legitimate mirror URLs.
- Regularly synchronize mirror sites with the main website to maintain data accuracy.
Tips for players:
- Use only officially verified mirrors provided by the brand.
- Confirm authenticity before sharing personal and financial information.