Betting firms access up to 28 million UK children exam results in data blunder

[The Buzz]

Gambling companies were given access to up to 28 million children’s personal information and exam results in one of the biggest breaches of government data. The Department for Education (DFE) has been reprimanded by the Information Commissioner after allowing betting firms to use the data to boost the number of young people who gambled.

From The Telegraph:

The database of children’s names, ages, addresses and qualifications was accessed by a company called Trustopia, which had no role in education and instead provided an age verification service to gambling firms.

Fast and cheap way to check ages

The data provided the betting firms with a fast and cheap way to check the ages of young online customers who claim to be 18 or over and legally permitted to gamble.

It was claimed one gambling firm boosted the numbers of young people passing its identity checks by 15 per cent by using the database.

One of the companies that benefited from Trustopia’s access was GB Group, which helped 32Red, Betfair and other gambling companies verify ages.

At the time, GB Group said on its website: “The data is accessible in real time, refreshed nightly and updated in line with annual exam results and other key moments.”

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/othe...nanceShimLayer

[AussieDave]

The UKGC (UK Gov) takes a hard line against Gambling; especially under-age gambling and issues huge fines against companies doing the wrong thing. Yet, allows this BS to go unnoticed, under their watch... lo-f'ing-l.

It makes a mockery of the entire UK system, the UKGC and all those idiots running 'supposed' safeguards.

For those interested in seeing what Trustopia looked like and what they did...

WayBack Machine Archive (taken 2018):
https://web.archive.org/web/20180104...ustopia.co.uk/

[Cash Bonus]

That's a very good point, AussieDave. The UKGC and other so-called governing bodies are absolutely hopeless and they all just turn a blind eye, to this sort of nonsense.