press release
The risk is more than a bet: Data privacy concerns in major betting apps for Super Bowl LVIII
Super Bowl XV fever has gripped the United States, with millions of sports fans flocking to mobile betting apps to watch the game. But behind the game’s thrill lies a troubling reality. Many users unknowingly gamble not only with their money but also with their personal data. His latest Incogni investigation revealed some worrying practices of the most popular betting services. While DraftKings emerges as the frontrunner when it comes to extensive data collection, Caesars stands out as being the most generous when it comes to sharing user data with third parties.
key insights
- draft kings collects the most data (22 data points), precise location information, photos, videos, contacts, files, and documents. It also collects data about other installed apps and messages.
- Caesars, Skybet, William Hill tied for 2nd place (17 data points)all data collection including: Purchase history.
- sky bet get together health information Not just users credit scoremay be extended Go to information about bank accounts, debts, and Housing loan.
- FanDuel collects a total of 14 data points. These include precise and approximate location, photos, and installed apps.
- Caesars stands out as the most data sharing app (14 data points reach third parties).This too exact location and In-app search history.
- betmgm They claim they don’t collect or share any data, but that seems unlikely.
- more than half Directly or indirectly among the apps surveyed, including BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars. Affected by a data breach Or a hacking attack.
For years, sports betting has been severely restricted due to multiple scandals. But laws enacted over the past decade have opened up new possibilities for betting across multiple states. Given the buzz around the 2024 Super Bowl, data privacy concerns are greater than ever.
Incogni, a personal data protection company, conducted a study to uncover the data collection and sharing practices of seven of the most popular betting apps. Researchers analyzed 15 data point categories to better understand the risks associated with users and to understand the scope of data collection and sharing practices. This finding is concerning. User data is collected and shared extensively, often without clear disclosure or transparency in privacy policies.
DraftKings has emerged as a frontrunner in the data collection space by collecting 22 data points from its users, including precise location information, photos, videos, contacts, files, and messages. Close behind are Caesars, Skybet, and William Hill, each containing sensitive information such as precise location, in-app search history, health information, purchase history, and credit scores that can extend to bank accounts.17 data points are collected. Debt and mortgage information. FanDuel tracks 14 data points, including your exact approximate location and information about installed apps.
Breaches and data mishandling
It turns out you don’t have to give up that much data to bet on sporting events. but, The risks of giving up data can be serious. The biggest impact of doing so will be felt when a data breach occurs on the platform you use.
we discovered it More than half of the companies running apps we surveyed were directly or indirectly affected by a data breach..
- BetMGM was hacked around May 2022 The personal information of 1.5 million users was compromised. The information included name, email address, and phone number.7
- FanDuel customer email addresses and names were accessed It was attacked by hackers after the email service provider was breached in early 2023.8
- DraftKings experienced a data breach in late 2022In , an unauthorized third party accessed information about 68,000 users. The information included name, address, phone number, and email address.9
- Caesar’s parent companyCaesars Entertainment, Customer data stolen from compromised third-party IT vendor. The company has decided to pay half the ransom for the stolen data, but as of this writing, no data has been leaked.Ten
Caesars stands out for its extensive data sharing practices. We share 14 data points with third parties, including your precise location and search history. FanDuel, on the other hand, shares “other information,” which Google’s support page says includes “[a]Other personal information such as date of birth, gender identity, and veteran status. ” We understand that some data collection and sharing with third parties is necessary as it is necessary to provide services and process payments. Nevertheless, the number of these data points seems too large. Unfortunately, the privacy policies of many betting apps can be unclear, raising questions about what data is actually collected and shared.
Among all the betting apps investigated, BetMGM claims to not collect or share any data. This is rare for gambling apps and may be due to the fact that Google can only partially monitor whether data collection and sharing disclosures are correct.
Given that more than half of the apps surveyed, including BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars, have been affected by data breaches or hacking attacks, the risks of giving up data can be significant. These findings suggest that users are discouraged from gambling, especially during events like the Super Bowl, as heightened activity can attract malicious actors looking to exploit vulnerabilities on these platforms. This highlights the need to be careful when using the app.
“As consumers increasingly rely on mobile applications for entertainment and engagement, protecting user privacy and data security should be a top priority for developers and regulators. Transparent privacy policies, stricter data protection measures, and proactive steps to reduce the risk of data breaches are essential to building trust and confidence among users.” – Darius, Head of Incogni Belejevas emphasizes.
After identifying the top sports betting platforms in the US and UK, Incogni researchers collected information about apps from the Google Play Store. If multiple apps are published by the same company or with similar names, the app used for sports betting will take precedence.
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