86% of UK gambling sites are breaking data privacy law
A study found 86% of licensed UK gambling sites violate GDPR, with manipulative cookie banners and pre-consent data collection.Summary
A study by Swansea University's GREAT Centre found that 86% of 624 licensed UK gambling websites violate GDPR, primarily through non-compliant cookie consent banners. 24% offered no opt-out for tracking, and two-thirds, including Ladbrokes and William Hill, collected user data before obtaining consent. Researchers also identified widespread use of "dark patterns," such as highlighting privacy-invasive settings (60%) and making rejection difficult (47%). The 86% violation rate significantly exceeds the 54% average for general websites, suggesting poor compliance in the gambling sector. Legal expert Ravi Naik criticized the findings as evidence of "widespread and systemic non-compliance" and blamed the Information Commissioner's Office for a lack of targeted enforcement.
(Source：The News International)