1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how NonGamStop UK ("we", "us", "our"), operating through the website adamhilton.org (the "Website"), uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our Website, and what choices you have regarding their use.
This policy should be read alongside our general commitment to data protection and the privacy of our visitors. We are committed to being transparent about the technologies we use and giving you the information you need to make informed decisions about your data.
By continuing to use our Website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Cookie Policy. Where cookies require your consent, we will ask for it when you first visit our Website through our cookie consent mechanism. You can change your preferences at any time as described in the "How to Manage Cookies" section below.
2. 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 information to website owners, and to enable certain features and functionalities.
Cookies can be "first-party cookies" (set by the website you are visiting) or "third-party cookies" (set by a domain other than the website you are visiting, such as an analytics provider or advertising network). Cookies can also be classified by their duration: "session cookies" are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser, while "persistent cookies" remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them manually.
In addition to cookies, we may use other similar technologies such as web beacons (also known as tracking pixels or clear GIFs), local storage, and similar mechanisms. Where this policy refers to "cookies", it encompasses all such similar technologies unless otherwise stated.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
We use the following categories of cookies on our Website:
3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies (Essential)
These cookies are essential for the basic operation of our Website. They enable core functionality such as page navigation, access to secure areas, and the operation of our cookie consent mechanism. Without these cookies, the Website cannot function properly, and they cannot be disabled.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| cookie_consent | Records your cookie consent preferences | 12 months | First-party |
| session_id | Maintains your browsing session | Session | First-party |
| cf_clearance | Cloudflare security verification | 30 minutes | Third-party |
3.2 Analytics and Performance Cookies
These cookies collect information about how visitors use our Website, including which pages are visited most often, how long visitors spend on each page, and whether visitors encounter any error messages. The information collected by these cookies is aggregated and anonymous. We use this data to improve the performance and content of our Website.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors by assigning a randomly generated identifier | 2 years |
| _ga_* | Google Analytics | Maintains session state across page requests | 2 years |
| _gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes users for analytics purposes | 24 hours |
| _gat | Google Analytics | Throttles request rate to limit data collection on high-traffic sites | 1 minute |
We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand how visitors interact with our Website. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information about your visit, including the pages you view, how long you spend on each page, how you arrived at our Website, and your general geographic location (at the city level, not precise location). This information is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers that may be located outside the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area.
We have configured Google Analytics with the following privacy-enhancing settings: IP anonymisation is enabled so your full IP address is never stored; data sharing with Google is limited to the minimum required for the service to function; advertising features are disabled; and data retention is set to the minimum period of 2 months.
3.3 Marketing and Affiliate Tracking Cookies
These cookies are used to track visitors across our Website and, in some cases, across other websites. Their purpose is to enable us and our advertising and affiliate partners to display relevant content and to measure the effectiveness of our marketing and affiliate programmes.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| affiliate_ref | Internal | Tracks which affiliate link a visitor clicked to attribute referrals correctly | 30 days |
| click_id | Affiliate partners | Associates a visitor with a specific marketing click for conversion tracking | 30 days |
| _fbp | Meta (Facebook) | Identifies browsers for advertising and site analytics purposes | 3 months |
As an affiliate marketing website, some of the links on our site direct you to third-party casino and betting websites. When you click these links, cookies may be set by our affiliate tracking partners to record that you were referred from our Website. If you subsequently register an account or make a deposit at the partner website, the affiliate cookie enables the correct attribution of the referral. These cookies are essential to our business model and enable us to provide our content free of charge.
We do not use affiliate cookies to build personal profiles about you, to serve personalised advertisements on our Website, or to sell your data to third parties. The affiliate cookies are used solely for the purpose of conversion tracking within our affiliate partnerships.
4. What Data Is Collected
Through the cookies described above, we may collect the following types of information:
- Device information: Your device type, operating system, browser type and version, screen resolution, and language settings.
- Usage information: Pages visited, time spent on each page, links clicked, scroll depth, and navigation paths through the Website.
- Referral information: The website or search engine that referred you to our Website, and any affiliate link identifiers.
- Approximate location: Your general geographic location at the city or region level, derived from your IP address. We do not collect precise geolocation data.
- Technical information: IP address (anonymised where analytics cookies are used), internet service provider, and connection type.
We do not use cookies to collect personal information such as your name, email address, phone number, or postal address. If you provide such information through our contact forms, this is handled separately and not through cookie technology.
5. Third-Party Cookies
In addition to the cookies we set directly, third-party services that we integrate with may set their own cookies when you visit our Website. We do not control these third-party cookies and their use is governed by the privacy policies of the respective third parties. The main third-party cookie providers on our Website are:
- Google (Analytics): Provides website usage analytics. Google's privacy policy is available at policies.google.com/privacy.
- Cloudflare: Provides security and performance services for our Website. Cloudflare's privacy policy is available at cloudflare.com/privacypolicy.
- Affiliate networks: Our affiliate tracking partners may set cookies when you click on links to casino and betting websites. The specific cookies depend on which link you click and the affiliate programme operated by the partner.
We regularly review the third-party services we use and aim to minimise the number of third-party cookies set on our Website. If you have concerns about specific third-party cookies, please contact us using the details provided below.
6. How to Manage Cookies
You have several options for managing cookies on our Website and more broadly across your web browsing:
6.1 Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically choose to block all cookies, block only third-party cookies, or delete existing cookies. The process for managing cookies varies by browser:
- Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
- Apple Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data
Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect the functionality of our Website and other websites you visit. Some features may not work correctly without cookies enabled.
6.2 Google Analytics Opt-Out
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking specifically by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. This add-on prevents the Google Analytics JavaScript from sharing information about your visit with Google Analytics.
6.3 Do Not Track
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites requesting that they do not track your browsing activity. There is currently no universal standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. We do not currently respond to DNT signals, but we will review this position as standards evolve.
6.4 Cookie Consent Preferences
When you first visit our Website, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the Website, which will trigger the consent mechanism again.
7. GDPR Compliance
Our use of cookies complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the UK GDPR (as retained in UK law following Brexit), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
Under these regulations:
- Consent: We obtain your consent before setting any non-essential cookies (analytics and marketing cookies). Essential cookies do not require consent as they are necessary for the Website to function.
- Transparency: We provide clear information about the cookies we use, their purpose, and their duration through this Cookie Policy.
- Right to withdraw: You can withdraw your consent to non-essential cookies at any time by managing your browser settings or clearing your cookies as described above.
- Data minimisation: We collect only the data that is necessary for the stated purposes and retain it for no longer than required.
- Security: We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the data collected through cookies from unauthorised access, alteration, or destruction.
Under the GDPR and UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data processed through cookies:
- The right to be informed about how your data is collected and used
- The right of access to the personal data we hold about you
- The right to rectification of inaccurate personal data
- The right to erasure (the "right to be forgotten")
- The right to restrict processing of your personal data
- The right to data portability
- The right to object to processing
- Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in section 9 below. We will respond to your request within one calendar month.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our use of cookies, changes in the law, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes to this policy, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies.
If we make significant changes that materially affect how we process your personal data through cookies, we will notify you through a prominent notice on our Website or by other appropriate means before the changes take effect.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- General enquiries: [email protected]
- Website: adamhilton.org
If you are not satisfied with our response to your enquiry, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent authority for data protection and information rights:
- ICO website: ico.org.uk
- ICO helpline: 0303 123 1113