The article discusses the case of Sam, a compulsive gambler who was targeted with personalized marketing by Sky Betting & Gaming. Despite his efforts to quit gambling, the company continuously sent him promotions based on data profiling, which significantly contributed to his addiction. Sam engaged with nearly all of the 1,389 emails sent to him, reflecting the impact of such marketing strategies on vulnerable individuals. A recent high court ruling deemed these practices unlawful, suggesting that individuals like Sam, who are unable to fully consent, should be protected from aggressive marketing tactics by gambling companies.
At first glance, the promotion looked like any old junk email. Instead, it was the product of a sophisticated targeted marketing campaign based on hundreds of thousands of pieces of data used to profile him, predict his behaviour and serve him personalised ads.
Internal records suggest that of the 1,389 emails it sent him offering free spins and bonus prizes, Sam engaged with 98% of them. He admitted, 'I wasn't able to ignore them. They had this grip on me, he said.
In a landmark legal ruling that could have wide-ranging ramifications for the gambling industry, the high court has now ruled the targeting unlawful.
Mrs Justice Collins Rice highlighted that while Sam craved these promotional offers, he was in no state to consent to the use of his data for profiling and targeted marketing.
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