UK online gambling sites accused of widespread GDPR violations

A study by the GREAT Centre at Swansea University has found that 86% of licensed online gambling websites in the United Kingdom appear to be in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The research, which examined 624 gambling sites, suggests that operators are engaging in “data surveillance” to maintain user engagement and consumption.

The study highlights the widespread use of “dark patterns” to manipulate users into sharing data. Common tactics include visually emphasizing privacy-invasive options, setting non-private defaults, and hiding refusal options within sub-menus. Approximately 24% of the sites surveyed did not provide an option to disable tracking software at all.

Furthermore, two-thirds of the operators, including prominent brands such as Ladbrokes and William Hill, reportedly began collecting data before obtaining user consent. These findings have led to criticism of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for failing to take meaningful enforcement action against the industry. Under GDPR, companies found in violation could face fines of up to 4% of their annual global turnover or €20 million.