Research by Swansea University’s GREAT Centre Highlights Extensive Data Surveillance and Cookie Breaches
A comprehensive new study by researchers at Swansea University’s GREAT Centre has revealed that nearly 9 out of 10 (86%) licensed British gambling websites appear to flout General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards. The findings indicate widespread systemic issues regarding information privacy, cookie banner management, and customer data surveillance across the online betting sector.
The research evaluated 624 gambling platforms and uncovered significant non-compliance patterns:
- Inability to Opt-Out: Nearly a quarter (24%) of the tested websites failed to provide users with a clear option to disable tracking software that enables third-party advertisers to monitor web activity. Brands failing to offer this option include Hollywood Bets and Admiral Casino.
- Pre-Consent Data Harvesting: Two-thirds of operators began gathering user data before obtaining proper consent. While permitted for legitimate security checks—such as verifying a user’s location—investigators found data was actively routed to marketing analytics platforms. Major operators like Ladbrokes and William Hill were among those cited.
- Lack of Consent Choices: Approximately 2% of studied sites, including Dafabet, offered no consent choice whatsoever upon arrival.
- Deceptive Dark Patterns: The vast majority of online bookies and casinos deployed “dark patterns” to nudge users toward data sharing. This included visually emphasizing privacy-unfriendly options (60%), pre-selecting intrusive settings (29%), and hiding rejection options behind secondary menus (47%).
Regulatory Scrutiny and Industry Response
The non-compliance rate of 86% in the gambling sector far exceeds the 54% average recorded in broader internet-wide studies. Legal and data protection experts have raised concerns over the findings, pointing to a perceived lack of meaningful enforcement by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) against major online gambling operators.
While regulatory bodies continue to target cookie and tracking compliance across high-traffic websites, industry stakeholders face growing pressure to align data practices with strict consumer protection mandates, particularly given the intersection between data surveillance and problem gambling behaviours.
