What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used across the internet to make websites work more efficiently, to provide a better browsing experience for visitors, and to supply website operators with information about how their site is being used. Cookies are stored on your device by your web browser (such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge) and can be read by the website that placed them on subsequent visits.
Cookies serve a variety of purposes. Some are essential for the basic functioning of a website — for example, they may remember your cookie consent preferences or keep you logged into a secure area. Others are used to collect anonymised statistical data about how visitors interact with a website, helping the site owner understand which pages are most popular, how long visitors spend on the site, and where they arrive from. A further category of cookies is used for advertising and affiliate tracking purposes, enabling website operators and their partners to deliver relevant content and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
It is important to understand that cookies themselves are not harmful. They cannot install malware on your device, access your personal files, or damage your computer in any way. They are simply small data files that help websites remember information about your visit. However, because cookies can be used to track your browsing behaviour across different websites, data protection legislation in the United Kingdom — specifically the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) — requires website operators to be transparent about the cookies they use and to obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.
This Cookie Policy explains in detail the specific types of cookies used by BettingNotOnGamStop.uk (accessible at leedsnorthwestssp.org), the purposes for which they are used, the third parties that may place cookies through our website, and the steps you can take to manage or disable cookies if you wish. We encourage you to read this policy carefully so that you can make an informed decision about your cookie preferences.
Types of Cookies We Use
BettingNotOnGamStop.uk uses four categories of cookies, each serving a distinct purpose. These categories are outlined below, along with a detailed explanation of the specific cookies within each category, their function, and their duration. We have designed our cookie usage to be as minimal as reasonably possible whilst still enabling us to operate the website effectively, understand how it is used, and sustain the advertising-funded business model that allows us to provide free content to readers.
Essential Cookies
Required for the website to function. Cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality.
Analytics Cookies
Help us understand how visitors use the site so we can improve content and performance.
Advertising & Affiliate
Used by our affiliate partners to track referrals and measure campaign performance.
Preference Cookies
Remember your settings and preferences for a personalised browsing experience.
Essential Cookies
Essential cookies (also known as “strictly necessary” cookies) are required for the basic operation of our website. These cookies enable core functionality such as remembering your cookie consent preferences, ensuring the security of your browsing session, and enabling you to navigate between pages without losing context. Without these cookies, certain fundamental features of the website would not work correctly.
Under UK GDPR and PECR, essential cookies do not require your explicit consent because they are necessary for the provision of the service you have requested (i.e., browsing our website). However, we believe in full transparency and have listed them here for your information.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| cookie_consent | Stores your cookie consent preferences so we do not ask you repeatedly | 365 days | First-party |
| cf_clearance | Cloudflare security cookie to verify that you are a legitimate visitor | 30 minutes | Third-party (Cloudflare) |
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare bot management cookie to distinguish human visitors from automated traffic | 30 minutes | Third-party (Cloudflare) |
Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies collect anonymised information about how visitors use our website. This data helps us understand which pages are most popular, how visitors navigate through the site, which content resonates most with our audience, and whether visitors encounter any errors or usability issues. We use this information to improve the content, structure, and performance of the website, ensuring that it continues to meet the needs of our readers effectively.
We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as our primary analytics platform. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect data about your visit, including the pages you view, how long you spend on each page, the website or search engine that referred you to us, and the type of device and browser you are using. This data is aggregated and anonymised, meaning that it cannot be used to identify you personally. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymise IP addresses, ensuring that your full IP address is never stored or processed by Google on our behalf.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics — distinguishes unique visitors by assigning a randomly generated identifier | 2 years | Third-party (Google) |
| _ga_* | Google Analytics 4 — maintains session state and tracks interactions across pages | 2 years | Third-party (Google) |
| _gid | Google Analytics — distinguishes visitors within a 24-hour window for session-level analysis | 24 hours | Third-party (Google) |
| _gat | Google Analytics — throttles request rate to limit data collection on high-traffic pages | 1 minute | Third-party (Google) |
Analytics cookies are only placed on your device if you have given your consent through our cookie consent mechanism. If you decline analytics cookies, we will not collect any Google Analytics data from your visit, and the cookies listed above will not be set.
Advertising & Affiliate Cookies
BettingNotOnGamStop.uk is a commercially funded website that earns revenue through affiliate partnerships with the betting operators we review. When you click on a link to a betting site from our website and subsequently create an account or make a deposit, we may receive a commission from the operator. Affiliate cookies are used to track these referrals, ensuring that we are correctly credited for traffic we send to our partner sites.
Affiliate tracking cookies are placed by our affiliate network partners when you click on an outbound link to a betting site. These cookies typically store a unique referral identifier and the date and time of the click, enabling the affiliate network to attribute any subsequent registration or deposit to the specific link you clicked on our website. The information collected by these cookies is used solely for the purpose of affiliate commission tracking and is not used to build a personal profile of your browsing behaviour or to serve you targeted advertising.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _aff_tracking | Affiliate referral tracking — records the click source for commission attribution | 30–90 days | Third-party (Affiliate network) |
| _partner_ref | Partner referral identifier — links your visit to a specific affiliate campaign | 30 days | Third-party (Affiliate network) |
We are transparent about our use of affiliate cookies. These cookies are placed only when you actively click on an outbound link to a betting site. They do not track your general browsing behaviour on our website or elsewhere. Our use of affiliate cookies does not influence our editorial content or the rankings we publish. For full details of our affiliate relationships, please see our Terms of Use.
Preference Cookies
Preference cookies (also known as “functionality” cookies) enable our website to remember choices you have made during your visit and to provide enhanced, personalised features. These cookies are used to store settings such as your preferred display options, whether you have dismissed an information banner or notification, and any other preferences that enhance your browsing experience on subsequent visits.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| user_prefs | Stores display preferences such as dismissed banners and notification settings | 180 days | First-party |
| theme_mode | Remembers your preferred display mode (e.g., standard or reduced motion) | 365 days | First-party |
Preference cookies are non-essential and will only be placed on your device with your consent. If you decline preference cookies, the website will still function correctly, but certain personalisation features may not be available, and you may see certain notices or banners more frequently than intended.
Third-Party Cookies
In addition to the cookies we set directly (first-party cookies), certain third-party services used by our website may place their own cookies on your device. We do not control the cookies set by these third parties, but we have listed them below for transparency, along with links to their respective privacy and cookie policies where you can find further information and manage your preferences.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 to collect anonymised data about website usage. Google may set additional cookies beyond those listed in the Analytics Cookies section above as part of its standard analytics service. Google’s use of this data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking on all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On.
Cloudflare
Our website is served through Cloudflare’s content delivery network (CDN), which provides security, performance, and reliability services. Cloudflare may set essential cookies (such as cf_clearance and __cf_bm) to verify that you are a legitimate visitor and to protect the website from malicious traffic. These cookies are classified as strictly necessary and do not require your consent. For more information, please see the Cloudflare Privacy Policy.
Affiliate Tracking Networks
When you click on an outbound link to a betting site, our affiliate tracking partners may set cookies on your device to record the referral. The specific cookies set depend on the affiliate network used by each operator. These cookies are used solely for commission attribution and do not track your broader browsing behaviour. Each affiliate network has its own privacy policy, and we encourage you to review the relevant operator’s privacy policy when you visit their site.
We do not control the cookies set by third-party services, and we cannot disable them on your behalf. If you wish to block or manage third-party cookies, you will need to adjust the settings in your web browser or use the opt-out mechanisms provided by the relevant third party. Instructions for managing cookies in the most popular browsers are provided below.
How to Manage Cookies
You have the right to control which cookies are placed on your device and to withdraw your consent at any time. There are several ways to manage your cookie preferences, ranging from using our on-site consent mechanism to adjusting the settings in your web browser. Below, we provide step-by-step instructions for managing cookies in the four most popular web browsers used in the United Kingdom.
Disabling or deleting certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website and other websites you visit. In particular, disabling essential cookies may prevent certain features from working correctly, and disabling analytics cookies means we will be unable to collect data to improve the site. We recommend leaving essential cookies enabled for the best browsing experience.
Google Chrome
To manage cookies in Google Chrome, follow these steps:
- Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the browser window.
- Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click Privacy and security.
- Click Third-party cookies (or Cookies and other site data in older versions).
- From here, you can choose to block all third-party cookies, block all cookies, or manage exceptions for specific websites.
- To delete existing cookies, go to Privacy and security > Clear browsing data and select Cookies and other site data.
For more detailed instructions, visit the Google Chrome Help Centre.
Mozilla Firefox
To manage cookies in Mozilla Firefox, follow these steps:
- Open Firefox and click the three-line menu icon (hamburger menu) in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings (or Preferences on macOS).
- In the left-hand sidebar, click Privacy & Security.
- Under Enhanced Tracking Protection, you can choose between Standard, Strict, or Custom protection levels. The Custom option allows you to control cookies, tracking content, cryptominers, and fingerprinters individually.
- To delete existing cookies, scroll down to Cookies and Site Data and click Clear Data.
For more detailed instructions, visit the Mozilla Firefox Support page.
Apple Safari
To manage cookies in Apple Safari (macOS), follow these steps:
- Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar.
- Select Settings (or Preferences in older versions of macOS).
- Click the Privacy tab.
- Under Cookies and website data, you can choose to block all cookies or to prevent cross-site tracking.
- To delete existing cookies, click Manage Website Data and remove individual cookies or click Remove All.
On iOS (iPhone and iPad), go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data to manage cookies. For more information, visit the Apple Safari Support page.
Microsoft Edge
To manage cookies in Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:
- Open Edge and click the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click Cookies and site permissions.
- Click Manage and delete cookies and site data.
- From here, you can toggle the options to block third-party cookies, allow or block cookies from specific sites, and clear all existing cookies.
For more detailed instructions, visit the Microsoft Edge Support page.
Cookie Consent
In accordance with UK GDPR and PECR, we obtain your explicit consent before placing any non-essential cookies on your device. When you first visit BettingNotOnGamStop.uk, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that explains the types of cookies we use and allows you to accept or decline each category individually. Your consent preferences are stored in an essential cookie (cookie_consent) so that we do not need to ask you again on subsequent visits.
You have the right to change or withdraw your consent at any time. To update your cookie preferences, you can clear your browser cookies (which will reset your consent status and trigger the consent banner on your next visit) or contact us directly at [email protected] to request assistance with your preferences.
Please note that withdrawing consent for non-essential cookies does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal. It also does not affect the use of essential cookies, which are necessary for the basic functioning of the website and do not require your consent under PECR.
Legal Basis for Cookie Use
Our use of cookies is governed by the following legal frameworks:
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR): Where cookies collect personal data (such as IP addresses or unique identifiers), we process that data on the legal basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR) for non-essential cookies, or our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR) for essential cookies that are necessary for the operation of the website.
- Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR): Regulation 6 of PECR requires us to obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. Essential cookies that are strictly necessary for the provision of the service you have requested are exempt from this consent requirement.
- Data Protection Act 2018: The DPA 2018 supplements and tailors the application of UK GDPR in the United Kingdom. Our cookie practices comply with the relevant provisions of the DPA 2018.
Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, the third-party services we integrate, or applicable data protection legislation. When we make significant changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you through our cookie consent mechanism so that you can review and update your preferences. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, our use of cookies, or your data protection rights, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are committed to being transparent about our data practices and are happy to provide further information or assistance with managing your cookie preferences.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent supervisory authority for data protection, if you believe that your data protection rights have been infringed. The ICO can be contacted at:
- Website: ico.org.uk
- Telephone: 0303 123 1113
- Address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
For information about how we handle your personal data more broadly, including the data collected through cookies, please refer to our Privacy Policy. For details of our affiliate relationships and commercial disclosures, please see our Terms of Use.
Gamble Responsibly
If you or someone you know is affected by problem gambling, free and confidential help is available.