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Online bookies accused of UK privacy breaches with use of cookie banners
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- DeepHorus
Online bookmakers and casinos in the United Kingdom are facing serious allegations of widespread privacy violations. A new study from the University of Swansea’s GREAT Centre reveals that a staggering 86% of licensed British gambling websites are non-compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The research specifically targets the ubiquitous cookie banners that appear when users first visit a site, which are designed to obtain informed consent for data collection and tracking.
The findings place significant pressure on the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data privacy regulator. The ICO has been running a multi-year project to enforce GDPR compliance on cookie banners, claiming to have brought 95% of the country's top 1,000 websites in line. However, the study indicates the gambling sector is a major outlier, lagging far behind other industries in adhering to these critical privacy rules.
The research identified several specific breaches. Nearly a quarter of the 624 gambling websites tested, including operators like Hollywood Bets and Admiral Casino, did not offer users the option to disable tracking software. This software allows advertisers to monitor users across the web for targeted marketing. The study also found that two-thirds of operators began harvesting data before obtaining user consent.
Major well-known brands were implicated. Operators such as Ladbrokes and William Hill were found to be sending data to third-party analytics platforms for marketing purposes without proper consent. A small fraction, 2% of sites, including Dafabet, offered no consent choice whatsoever. The research also highlighted the extensive use of "dark patterns"—manipulative design choices—to nudge users toward accepting data sharing.
The implications of these practices are profound. Researchers argue the primary goal of this data surveillance is "maintaining engagement and consumer losses." This creates a unique ethical risk, as the data used to profile and target users for marketing may also reveal signs of problem gambling. The findings highlight a troubling overlap between profitable business tactics and potential harm to vulnerable users.
Legal experts have responded strongly. Ravi Naik, legal director at data protection firm AWO, described the findings as evidence of "widespread and systemic non-compliance" in the sector. He criticized the ICO for its failure to take meaningful enforcement action against online gambling companies, despite previous concerns being raised.
The study contrasts sharply with broader internet compliance rates, which stand at 54%. It follows a 2024 reprimand of SkyBet by the ICO for unlawfully sharing user data, a case raised by the campaign group Clean Up Gambling. While SkyBet was not named in this latest report, it underscores the ongoing regulatory challenges in the industry.
Looking ahead, this research is likely to intensify calls for stricter oversight and enforcement. The glaring discrepancy between the gambling sector and the wider web suggests a need for targeted regulatory action. As the digital landscape evolves, ensuring robust privacy protections within high-risk industries like gambling will remain a critical priority for regulators and consumer advocates alike.
