Our Privacy & Data Protection Policy

At the London Policy Conference blog, we believe informed debate on policy, from the Gambling Act review to GamStop, starts with transparency, including how we handle your information. This policy outlines our practices concerning your personal data, in compliance with the UK GDPR and other relevant data protection legislation applicable within the United Kingdom.

What Personal Data We Collect and Why

Our data collection is minimal and purposeful, designed to support the functionality of our platform and the quality of our editorial content on UK gambling policy. We collect data both voluntarily provided by you and data gathered automatically during your visit.

Data You Provide Voluntarily

This is information you choose to give us when interacting with our site. Examples include:

  • Submitting a comment on an article about the Gambling Act review or GamStop policy.
  • Subscribing to receive updates on new content related to UK casino regulation.
  • Contacting us via email with an inquiry.

This data typically includes your name and email address, and the content of your communications with us.

Data Collected Automatically

To ensure site security, stability, and a functional user experience, certain technical data is collected when you browse. This includes:

  • Your IP address and general location (city/country level).
  • Browser type and version, device type, and operating system.
  • Pages visited, time spent, and referral sources.

Our Use of Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate our site effectively and to understand how our audience engages with our policy analysis and debates.

Essential Cookies

These are strictly necessary for the website to function. They enable basic features like page navigation, security, and load balancing. Your consent is not required for these cookies.

Analytical & Performance Cookies

We use analytical cookies, such as those from Google Analytics, to gather anonymous information about how visitors use our site. This helps us understand which topics, such as articles on UK casino regulation or GamStop efficacy, resonate most with our readership. You can manage your preferences for these cookies via our cookie consent banner upon your first visit.

How We Use Analytics and Site Performance Data

Analytics data is crucial for shaping our editorial focus and improving the user experience for our policy-focused audience.

Purpose of Analytics

We analyse aggregated traffic data to identify trends in readership, such as interest in specific aspects of the UK Gambling Act review. This allows us to produce more relevant and impactful content for the UK policy community.

Data Anonymization

We use Google Analytics 4, configured with IP anonymization activated. This means your full IP address is not stored, and the data is aggregated to prevent the identification of individual users, aligning with a privacy-first approach to analytics.

Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

We engage a limited number of trusted third-party service providers to support our operations. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data.

Service Providers

Our providers operate under strict data processing agreements. They include:

  • Google Workspace: For secure email and document management.
  • Cloudflare: For security, performance, and DDoS protection services.
  • Google Analytics: For website traffic analysis, as described above.

Legal Disclosures

We may disclose your information if we are required to do so by UK law, or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court). Any such disclosure would be made in accordance with the UK GDPR.

Your Data Protection Rights Under UK GDPR

As a data subject under the UK GDPR, you have important rights regarding your personal information.

Key Rights Overview

Your principal rights include:

  • The right to access the personal data we hold about you.
  • The right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • The right to erasure (‘the right to be forgotten’) in certain circumstances.
  • The right to restrict or object to our processing of your data.
  • The right to data portability, where applicable.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, or if you have a privacy concern, please contact us directly at [email protected]. We will respond to your request in accordance with UK data protection law.

How Long We Retain Your Information

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

Retention Periods by Data Type

  • Comment Data: Retained indefinitely to maintain the context and continuity of policy discussions on our blog.
  • Analytics Data: User and event data in Google Analytics 4 is retained for a period of 26 months.
  • Subscription Data: Held until you choose to unsubscribe, at which point it is promptly deleted.

Basis for Retention

Our retention periods are set in consideration of our legitimate interests in maintaining our content archive and engagement metrics, and in line with guidance from the UK’s supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Contacting Us About Your Privacy

We welcome questions regarding this Privacy & Data Protection Policy.

Primary Contact Method

For all privacy-related inquiries, including requests to exercise your data rights, please email our team at: [email protected]. Our core operations and team are based in London, and we handle all privacy matters directly.

Supervisory Authority

If you have unresolved concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK’s independent regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), at any time. We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns first.

This policy reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting your privacy as we foster crucial conversations on UK policy, from gambling regulation to broader legislative reviews. We will update this policy transparently as needed and encourage you to review it periodically.