The revelations will add to calls for tighter regulation of the gambling industry more action to address problem gambling after the news on Thursday that online betting firm 888 had been penalised a record £7.8m because more than 7,000 people who had voluntarily banned themselves from gambling were still able to access their accounts. This helps the affiliates and the gambling firms tailor ads and target people based on what they earn. So-called “data houses” collect information on age, income, debt, credit information and insurance details, which they pass to betting affiliates – companies that refer customers to online bookmakers for a fee.
“We could also combine segments, ie we could target users who are on less than £25k a year, own a credit card and have three kids, via these providers.” “Lower-income users were among the most successfully targeted segments.
“Third-party data providers allowed us to target their email lists with precision,” said a digital marketer who counted betting companies among his clients before leaving his agency last year.
