Peer says UK data bill could “significantly aggravate data-driven harms” in gambling sector
Lord Foster bemoans the cutting of red tape that he suggests would put hurdles in place for consumers to exercise their rights
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Donald Foster has suggested the government’s new Data Protection and Digital Information (DPDI) Bill could “significantly aggravate data-driven harms” in the industry.
The DPBI Bill is currently with the House of Lords, having been introduced in the chamber in December, with measures that Lord Foster said could have serious repercussions for customers.
Lord Foster, who was MP for Bath for more than 20 years, has been critical of the government’s handling of the white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review.
In a blog, posted on political news site PoliticsHome, Lord Foster said the DPBI Bill would cut red tape, and therefore “disempower those most in need of control over how their personal data is used”.
He wrote: “For instance, the bill introduces a range of permissible uses of data that remove any consideration of the impact on individuals, thereby fast-tracking the potential for abuse.
“The bill also introduces procedural hurdles that would make enforcement of rights, even in egregious cases, more difficult, lengthy and time consuming.
“One study suggests it would take at least 20 months for a complaint to be determined by the regulator. These changes would give companies much greater freedom to ignore their customers’ interests and make it more arduous and expensive for individuals to enforce their rights,” he added.
Lord Foster claimed that operators are currently using customer data to “persuade them to increase the amount they gamble, in a manner that is not compliant with current data laws”, before noting the current regulation will protect consumers as it stands.
He pointed to existing UK general data protection regulation (GDPR) frameworks which limit the way data can be used, but the UK’s post-Brexit push has seen the DPDI Bill introduced.
The new legislation allows for a wider sharing of data that individuals will not be required to be informed of, while organisations will no longer need to carry out records of processing data unless that process is “likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals”.
Lord Foster continued: “So, unless amended, the DPDI Bill is likely to significantly aggravate data-driven harms in the gambling sector.
“While it has not, so far, been fully exploited, the current law – which distinguishes between responsible and irresponsible uses of data – provides a real opportunity to limit the harm done by irresponsible gambling companies.
“But, in its current form, the DPDI Bill would be a significant backward step in the efforts to reduce gambling harm,” he concluded.