Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Herd of Sporrans ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you visit herdofsporrans.com ("the Site"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

By using our Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use the Site.

2. Who We Are

Herd of Sporrans is an independent gambling review and comparison website based in the United Kingdom. We provide editorial content including reviews, ratings, and guides to help UK players make informed decisions about online gambling platforms.

For data protection purposes, Herd of Sporrans is the data controller. If you have any questions about how we process your data, you can contact us at [email protected].

3. Information We Collect

We do not require you to create an account or provide personal information to use our Site. We do not collect names, email addresses, phone numbers, or payment details through our Site (unless you voluntarily contact us by email).

However, when you visit the Site, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and analytics tools:

3.1 Automatically Collected Data

• IP address (anonymised where possible)
• Browser type and version (e.g. Chrome 125, Safari 18)
• Operating system (e.g. Windows 11, macOS, iOS, Android)
• Device type (desktop, tablet, or mobile)
• Screen resolution
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website (the page that directed you to our Site)
• Geographic location (country and city level, derived from IP address)
• Date and time of your visit

3.2 Voluntarily Provided Data

If you contact us by email, we will receive your email address, name (if provided), and the contents of your message. This information is used solely to respond to your enquiry and is not shared with third parties.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information collected through analytics to:

• Understand which pages and content are most useful to visitors
• Analyse traffic patterns to improve site structure and navigation
• Monitor site performance, speed, and uptime
• Identify and resolve technical issues
• Measure the effectiveness of our content and editorial decisions
• Ensure site security and detect unusual or malicious activity

We do not use your data to build individual profiles, target you with personalised advertising, or sell your information to third parties.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we process your data on the following legal bases:

• Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)) — We have a legitimate interest in understanding how visitors use our Site so we can improve our content and user experience. This processing is proportionate and does not override your rights and freedoms.
• Consent (Article 6(1)(a)) — Where we use non-essential cookies (such as analytics cookies), we obtain your consent before placing them on your device.
• Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) — We may process data where required to comply with a legal obligation.

6. Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies to help us understand how you interact with our Site.

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Cookie Type	Purpose	Duration
Essential	Required for basic site functionality such as page navigation and security.	Session
Analytics (Google Analytics)	Collects anonymised data about page views, traffic sources, and user behaviour to help us improve the Site.	Up to 2 years
Affiliate Tracking	Used by affiliate partners to attribute referrals when you click an outbound link. These cookies are set by the third-party gambling site, not by us.	Varies by partner

6.2 Managing Cookies

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block all cookies, block only third-party cookies, or delete cookies when you close the browser. Please note that disabling cookies may affect your experience on the Site.

For more information on managing cookies, visit allaboutcookies.org.

7. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4), a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to collect and analyse data about how visitors use our Site. Google Analytics uses cookies to gather information such as page views, session duration, traffic sources, and device type.

Google Analytics data is processed by Google in accordance with its privacy policy. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymise IP addresses where possible and to not collect personally identifiable information.

You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Site contains links to third-party gambling websites. When you click an affiliate link or visit a third-party site, you leave herdofsporrans.com and become subject to that site's privacy policy and cookie practices.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, data collection, or security of any third-party website. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every site you visit.

Third-party gambling operators may set their own cookies on your device when you visit their sites via our links. These cookies are governed by the third party's policies, not ours.

9. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share anonymised, aggregated analytics data (which cannot identify you) in the following circumstances:

• Google Analytics: Anonymised usage data is processed by Google as part of the analytics service.
• Hosting providers: Our web hosting provider may have access to server logs as part of normal hosting operations.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority.

10. Data Retention

Analytics data collected through Google Analytics is retained for 14 months, after which it is automatically deleted. Server log files are retained for up to 90 days for security and diagnostic purposes.

If you contact us by email, we retain your correspondence for as long as necessary to resolve your enquiry and for our legitimate record-keeping purposes, after which it is securely deleted.

11. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the data we collect from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include using HTTPS encryption across the entire Site, limiting access to analytics data to authorised personnel only, and regularly reviewing our data processing practices.

While we strive to protect your information, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but will notify you and the relevant authorities in the event of a data breach as required by law.

12. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• Right of access — You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification — You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure — You can request that we delete your personal data (the "right to be forgotten").
• Right to restrict processing — You can request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to data portability — You can request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Right to object — You can object to our processing of your data based on legitimate interests.
• Right to withdraw consent — Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within one month, as required by law.

13. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

14. International Data Transfers

Google Analytics data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the United Kingdom, including the United States. Where such transfers occur, they are protected by appropriate safeguards including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or adequacy decisions.

15. Complaints

If you believe that we have not handled your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy or applicable data protection law, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve your concern directly.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Material changes that significantly affect how we handle your data will be highlighted on the Site for a reasonable period following the update.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Website: herdofsporrans.com