This Cookie Policy explains how cookies and similar tracking technologies are used on the Grosvenor Casino Broadstairs website. It describes the types of cookies placed, the purposes for which they are used, the legal basis for their use, and the controls available to users. This policy should be read together with the Privacy Policy.
By continuing to use this website after being presented with the cookie consent banner, the user confirms that they have read and understood this policy. Where consent is required, non-essential cookies are only placed after the user has actively indicated agreement.
1. What Cookies Are
Cookies are small text files that a website places on a device when the website is visited. They allow the website to recognise the device on subsequent visits and to store certain information about the session or preferences. Cookies may be set directly by the website (first-party cookies) or by third parties whose services are integrated into the website (third-party cookies).
Similar technologies, including pixel tags, web beacons and local storage objects, may operate in a comparable way. Where relevant, such technologies are covered by this policy.
2. Legal Framework
Use of cookies on this website is governed by the legislation and regulatory requirements applicable in the United Kingdom, including:
- Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), which require consent before placing non-essential cookies on a device and require clear information about the purposes of those cookies.
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, which set the standard for valid consent. Consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous, expressed through a clear affirmative action. Pre-ticked boxes and bundled consent do not meet this standard.
- UK Gambling Commission Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). While the LCCP does not refer to cookies directly, conditions 5.1.11 and 5.1.12 require appropriate consent before sending direct electronic marketing and require that marketing preferences are honoured. Cookies that support direct marketing or audience-building activities are therefore subject to the same consent obligations.
The company acts as data controller in respect of personal data processed through cookies on this website. In the United Kingdom, the supervisory authority responsible for enforcing these requirements is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
3. Categories of Cookies Used
Four categories of cookies are used on this website. The table below summarises each category, its purpose and the legal basis on which it is used.
| Category | Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Enable core website functions including session management, security, fraud prevention, age verification, responsible gambling controls and navigation. These cookies are essential for the website to operate and cannot be switched off. | Necessary for the performance of legal and regulatory obligations; consent is not required. |
| Functionality | Remember preferences and settings, such as language selection and login state, so that information does not need to be re-entered on each visit. | Consent, where the functionality is not strictly required for regulatory compliance. |
| Performance and Analytics | Collect aggregated and anonymised information about how visitors use the website, including pages visited, time spent and navigation paths. This data is used to improve website performance and user experience. | Consent. |
| Marketing and Targeting | Used by the company and selected third parties to deliver content relevant to user interests, to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and to build audience segments for advertising purposes. These cookies may track activity across other websites. | Consent. |
4. Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly necessary cookies are placed on a device without consent because they are essential to the operation of the website and to compliance with legal and regulatory obligations. These cookies support functions including:
- Maintaining the user session while navigating between pages
- Enabling security and fraud detection processes
- Supporting age verification and identity checks required under the operating licence
- Ensuring responsible gambling controls, including self-exclusion mechanisms and deposit limit tools, function correctly
- Remembering progress through multi-step processes such as registration or verification forms
Strictly necessary cookies are not used for marketing or profiling purposes. Access to responsible gambling controls and other regulatory compliance functions is not made conditional on acceptance of marketing or analytics cookies.
5. How Consent Is Obtained
When a user first visits the website, a cookie consent banner is displayed. This banner allows the user to:
- Accept all cookies
- Reject all non-essential cookies
- Manage preferences by cookie category
Consent is recorded only when the user takes a clear affirmative action. Non-essential cookies are not placed on the device before a choice is made. Preferences can be changed at any time via the cookie settings tool available on the website.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn. Withdrawal of consent also does not affect the placement of strictly necessary cookies, which do not require consent.
6. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies used on this website are set by third parties, including analytics providers and advertising networks. These third parties may collect information about online activity across different websites. Third-party scripts are blocked until the user has provided consent for the relevant cookie category.
Control over third-party cookies is limited to the consent mechanisms implemented on the website. For detailed information about how third parties process data, users should review the privacy and cookie policies of the relevant third-party services.
7. Managing Cookies Through the Browser
In addition to the controls available on this website, cookies can be managed through browser settings. Most browsers allow users to:
- View the cookies currently stored on the device
- Delete cookies individually or in bulk
- Block cookies from specific websites or from all websites
- Receive a notification before a cookie is placed
Disabling strictly necessary cookies may prevent parts of the website from functioning correctly. Instructions for managing cookies vary by browser. Users should refer to the help documentation for the browser they use.
8. Retention of Cookie Data
The retention period for cookie data depends on the type of cookie:
- Session cookies are deleted automatically when the browser is closed.
- Persistent cookies remain on the device for a defined period, which varies by cookie and is set out in the cookie preference centre.
Where cookie data constitutes personal data, or feeds into personal data, it is retained in accordance with the retention periods described in the Privacy Policy. Data related to regulatory compliance is retained for a minimum of five years following the end of a customer relationship, in line with Gambling Commission guidance.
9. Updates to This Policy
This Cookie Policy is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect changes in the cookies used, changes in applicable law or updated regulatory guidance. The current version of this policy is available on the website at all times. Where changes are material, notification will be provided through the cookie consent banner or by other appropriate means.
10. Contact
Questions about this Cookie Policy or about the use of cookies on this website can be submitted using the contact details provided on the Contact page. Enquiries relating to data protection and cookie practices are handled within the timeframes required under applicable law.