How online casinos ensure player privacy and compliance with data protection laws

In a booming time for online casinos with amazing advances in technology and innovation, the issue of privacy and data security is becoming increasingly important. We see a growing problem with data breaches and cyber threats. Therefore, it is more important than ever that gambling companies can navigate all the legal guidelines and laws that exist to protect personal data. In the EU, all online casinos must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). But how can a company ensure that they comply with the GDPR and why is it particularly important for them to do so? In this article, we explain how.

The introduction of the GDPR

The Data Protection Act was created to provide better protection with the rise of the internet and digitalisation. The previous laws were no longer sufficient and were updated over time. This was to comply with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). With the advent of computers in the 80s and 90s, millions of people across the EU started using the internet on a daily basis and realised that the old laws were not enough. So a Data Protection Directive (DPD) was introduced in 1995, but not all countries were happy with the DPD. This led to discussions about a harmonised data protection law, which in 2016 became the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Why it is important to comply with the GDPR

Today's gambling companies handle a large amount of personal data such as names, addresses, IDs and financial information. Therefore, it is important that all online casinos comply with the GDPR. This sensitive information must be handled with care and responsibility Companies must be clear about why they need the data and what it will be used for. The purpose of collecting the data may include marketing purposes, such as when the company needs to send out emails about new campaigns and offers. In this case, it is important to think about how you market yourself, as gambling can be addictive.

How can companies ensure that they comply with GDPR

Navigating the laws isn't always easy, but it's important for companies to develop a strategy for dealing with these issues. The most important thing is to start by reading up on GDPR and what it means. In Sweden, we also have a Swedish licence for casinos. It can also be good to have a data protection officer (DPO).

Most companies have a privacy policy and an internal GDPR documentation that contains the most important points such as why the company collects data and what the purpose of it is and how long the data is stored. It is also important to have a functioning technology to protect personal information. This can be done, for example, by using advanced encryption technology, two-factor authentication (2FA) and updated software to avoid cyber attacks.

Security will continue to be an important issue

With growing concerns about cyber threats and attacks, it is more important than ever that gambling companies have a well-functioning security strategy. We believe this can be achieved by having a privacy policy in place as a first step. It is also important that the company keeps up to date with the latest developments in the field of cyber. It is a constantly evolving area, just like all technology. We see that the issue of cyber security will be relevant for a long time to come and therefore it should be a priority for all companies.