Last Updated: 9 May 2026
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, tablet, smartphone, or other internet-enabled device when you visit a website. They are widely used across the internet to make websites function correctly, to improve the efficiency of a website's performance, and to provide information to the owners of the site. Cookies allow a website to recognise your device and remember certain information about your visit, such as your preferred language, font size, and other display preferences, so that you do not have to re-enter this information each time you return to the site or navigate between pages.
Cookies are created when your browser loads a particular website. The website sends information to the browser, which then creates a small text file on your device. Each time you return to the same website, your browser retrieves and sends this file back to the website's server. Cookies serve a variety of functions: some are essential to the operation of a website, whilst others are used to collect statistical data about browsing behaviour, deliver personalised content, or facilitate online advertising and affiliate tracking.
It is important to understand that cookies themselves do not contain viruses and are not harmful to your device. They cannot access other information stored on your computer, nor can they install software or malicious programmes. However, cookies can be used to build a profile of your browsing habits over time, which is why transparency about their use is essential. This Cookie Policy is designed to provide you with a clear and comprehensive understanding of the cookies that are placed on your device when you visit The Foundry Online, the purposes for which they are used, and the options available to you for managing or declining them.
There are several different categories of cookies, which are generally distinguished by their purpose and by the length of time they remain on your device. Session cookies are temporary and are automatically deleted when you close your browser at the end of your browsing session. Persistent cookies, by contrast, remain on your device for a predetermined period of time or until you manually delete them. First-party cookies are set by the website you are visiting, whilst third-party cookies are set by a domain other than the one you are currently browsing — for example, by an analytics service or an advertising network. Each of these categories is explained in greater detail in the sections that follow.
2. How We Use Cookies
The Foundry Online uses cookies for a number of purposes, all of which are designed to enhance your experience on our website and to enable us to operate and improve our services effectively. We take a proportionate approach to cookie usage and do not deploy cookies that are unnecessary or disproportionate to the purposes they serve. The primary ways in which we use cookies are outlined below.
Firstly, we use cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of our website. These cookies enable core functionality such as page navigation, access to secure areas, and the rendering of pages in the correct format for your device and browser. Without these cookies, certain features of our website would not function properly, and your experience would be significantly diminished. These essential cookies do not collect any personal information that could be used to identify you, and they are automatically deleted when you close your browser.
Secondly, we use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website. These cookies collect information about which pages are visited most frequently, how long visitors spend on each page, which links are clicked, and whether visitors encounter any error messages. This data is collected in an aggregated and anonymised form, meaning that it cannot be used to identify individual visitors. We use this information to improve the structure, content, and performance of our website, ensuring that our readers can find the information they need quickly and efficiently.
Thirdly, we use preference cookies that allow our website to remember choices you have made during previous visits. For example, if you have previously accepted our cookie consent notice, a preference cookie will record this decision so that the notice does not appear every time you visit the site. Preference cookies enhance your browsing experience by reducing repetitive interactions and ensuring that the website behaves in a manner consistent with your expectations.
Finally, we use affiliate and tracking cookies in connection with the commercial partnerships that support our website. When you click on a link to one of the casino or gambling platforms featured in our reviews, an affiliate cookie may be placed on your device. This cookie allows the partner platform to identify that you were referred by The Foundry Online, and it enables us to receive a commission if you subsequently register an account or make a qualifying transaction. These cookies are essential to the revenue model that allows us to provide free, independent, and expert content to our readers. Affiliate cookies are always placed by the third-party partner platform, not by The Foundry Online directly, and they are subject to the privacy and cookie policies of the respective partner.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
The cookies used on The Foundry Online can be grouped into four main categories, each of which serves a distinct purpose. Below we provide a detailed explanation of each category, including examples of the specific cookies that may be placed on your device and the reasons for their use.
Essential Cookies
Essential cookies, sometimes referred to as strictly necessary cookies, are fundamental to the operation of our website. They enable you to navigate the site and use its features, and they are required for the website to function as intended. Essential cookies do not collect any information about your browsing habits or behaviour, and they cannot be used to identify you personally. Because these cookies are strictly necessary, they are placed on your device automatically and do not require your consent under applicable data protection legislation. Without essential cookies, we would be unable to provide basic services such as page rendering, session management, and security features. These cookies are typically session cookies that expire when you close your browser, although in some cases a persistent essential cookie may be used to maintain a security preference or similar technical setting across multiple visits.
Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies enable us to collect data about how visitors use our website, including which pages attract the most traffic, how visitors navigate between pages, and whether users encounter any errors or difficulties during their visit. We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to process this information. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect data about your interactions with our website, including your IP address (which is anonymised before storage), the pages you view, the duration of your visit, and the source from which you arrived at our site. This information is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers located in various jurisdictions. Google may also transfer this data to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the data on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. The data collected by Google Analytics is aggregated and anonymised, which means that it cannot be used to identify individual visitors. We use the insights derived from this data to understand our audience, to identify popular content and areas for improvement, and to make informed decisions about the development and optimisation of our website. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, which is available for all major browsers at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Preference Cookies
Preference cookies, also known as functionality cookies, allow our website to remember choices that you have made during your visit and to provide you with a more personalised and convenient experience on subsequent visits. For example, a preference cookie may be used to remember whether you have previously accepted our cookie consent notice, thereby preventing the notice from appearing repeatedly. Preference cookies may also record your preferred display settings, your location preferences, or your language selection. The information collected by preference cookies is anonymised and does not track your browsing activity on other websites. Preference cookies are typically persistent cookies that remain on your device for a defined period — often between 30 days and 12 months — after which they expire automatically. You can delete preference cookies at any time through your browser settings, although doing so may result in certain personalised features of the website being reset to their default state. We consider preference cookies to be non-essential, and we seek your consent before placing them on your device.
Affiliate and Tracking Cookies
Affiliate and tracking cookies are placed on your device when you click on an affiliate link on our website — for example, a link to one of the casino or betting platforms featured in our reviews. These cookies serve a specific commercial purpose: they enable the partner platform to identify that your visit originated from The Foundry Online, and they allow us to receive a referral commission if you subsequently complete a qualifying action, such as registering an account, making a deposit, or placing a wager. Affiliate cookies are set by the third-party partner platform, not by The Foundry Online. Each partner operates its own affiliate programme with its own tracking technology, and the specific cookies used may vary from one partner to another. As a general rule, affiliate cookies have a relatively long lifespan, typically ranging from 30 to 90 days. This duration ensures that a referral can be accurately attributed even if you do not complete the qualifying action immediately after clicking the link. The extended duration is standard practice within the affiliate marketing industry and reflects the fact that many users conduct research over a period of days or weeks before deciding to register with a particular platform. Affiliate cookies do not collect sensitive personal information such as your name, email address, or financial details. They typically contain a unique identifier that links your visit to our affiliate account, a timestamp recording when the click occurred, and in some cases a reference to the specific page or link that you clicked. This information is used solely for the purpose of tracking referrals and calculating commissions. We are transparent about the fact that we earn revenue through affiliate partnerships, and we disclose this in our About page and in the footer of every page on our website. Our affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content, and our reviews and recommendations are based on independent analysis and expert assessment.
4. Cookie Table
The following table provides a detailed breakdown of the specific cookies that may be placed on your device when you visit The Foundry Online, together with information about their purpose, duration, and category. Please note that the cookies listed in this table are subject to change as we update our website and its functionality. We will endeavour to keep this table current and accurate.
Essential Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
__cf_bm |
Cloudflare bot management cookie. Distinguishes between humans and automated bots to protect the website from malicious traffic. | 30 minutes | First-party (session) |
cf_clearance |
Cloudflare security clearance cookie. Records that the visitor has successfully passed a security challenge, preventing repeated challenges during the same session. | 30 minutes | First-party (session) |
PHPSESSID |
Standard session identifier cookie. Maintains your session state as you navigate between pages on the website. | Session (deleted on browser close) | First-party (session) |
Analytics Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga |
Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish unique visitors to the website. Assigns a randomly generated number as a client identifier to calculate visitor, session, and campaign data for the site's analytics reports. | 2 years | Third-party (persistent) |
_ga_<ID> |
Google Analytics 4 cookie used to persist session state across page loads. Maintains information about the current browsing session, including session duration and page interaction data. | 2 years | Third-party (persistent) |
_gid |
Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users and throttle the request rate. Stores and updates a unique value for each page visited during a 24-hour period. | 24 hours | Third-party (persistent) |
_gat_UA-* |
Google Analytics throttle cookie. Used to throttle the request rate to Google Analytics servers, limiting data collection on high-traffic sites to ensure service reliability. | 1 minute | Third-party (session) |
Preference Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
cookie_consent |
Records whether the visitor has accepted or declined non-essential cookies via the cookie consent banner, preventing the banner from appearing on subsequent visits. | 12 months | First-party (persistent) |
display_prefs |
Stores the visitor's display preferences, such as preferred layout options or sorting selections on comparison tables, so these settings persist between visits. | 6 months | First-party (persistent) |
recently_viewed |
Remembers which casino reviews or guide pages the visitor has recently viewed, enabling the display of personalised “recently viewed” suggestions. | 30 days | First-party (persistent) |
Affiliate and Tracking Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
aff_id |
Affiliate identifier cookie set by partner casino platforms when you click an affiliate link. Contains a unique referral code linking your visit to The Foundry Online's affiliate account for commission tracking purposes. | 30–90 days (varies by partner) | Third-party (persistent) |
click_id |
Records a unique click identifier for each affiliate link interaction, enabling partner platforms to attribute conversions (such as account registrations or deposits) to the originating referral. | 30–90 days (varies by partner) | Third-party (persistent) |
tracking_src |
Identifies the specific page, banner, or link on The Foundry Online from which the referral originated. Used by affiliate networks to measure the performance of individual placements and campaigns. | 60 days | Third-party (persistent) |
partner_session |
Maintains session continuity between The Foundry Online and the partner platform during the redirect process, ensuring that the referral is correctly attributed even if the redirect involves multiple intermediate pages. | Session (deleted on browser close) | Third-party (session) |
5. Third-Party Cookies
In addition to the cookies that we set directly, certain third-party services that we use may also place cookies on your device when you visit The Foundry Online. We do not have direct control over the cookies set by these third parties, and their use is governed by the respective third party's own privacy and cookie policies. We encourage you to review these policies to understand how your data is collected and used by these services. Below we provide details of the principal third-party cookie providers that operate on our website.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC ("Google"), to collect and analyse data about how visitors use our website. Google Analytics uses cookies — primarily the _ga, _ga_<ID>, _gid, and _gat_UA-* cookies described in the table above — to collect information about your interactions with our site. This information includes, but is not limited to, the pages you visit, the time you spend on each page, the links you click, the device and browser you are using, your approximate geographic location (derived from your anonymised IP address), and the website or search engine that referred you to our site. Google processes this data on our behalf and in accordance with its own privacy policy, which is available at policies.google.com/privacy. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymise IP addresses before they are stored, which means that your full IP address is never recorded by Google on our behalf. The data we receive from Google Analytics is presented in an aggregated, anonymised format and is used solely for the purpose of understanding and improving our website. We do not use Google Analytics to track individual users or to build personal profiles. If you wish to prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits to our website, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, which is available free of charge at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. This add-on instructs your browser to prevent the Google Analytics JavaScript from sending visit information to Google Analytics.
Affiliate Networks
The Foundry Online participates in affiliate programmes operated by various online casino and gambling platforms. When you click on an affiliate link on our website, you are redirected to the partner platform's website, and the partner's affiliate tracking system may place one or more cookies on your device. These cookies are third-party cookies that are set and controlled entirely by the partner platform or its affiliate network provider, not by The Foundry Online. The purpose of these cookies is to track referrals and attribute conversions — such as account registrations, deposits, or wagers — to the referring website (in this case, The Foundry Online). This attribution enables us to receive a commission payment for the referral. Affiliate tracking cookies typically have a lifespan of between 30 and 90 days, although the exact duration varies between partners. This extended duration is an industry-standard practice that accounts for the fact that many users conduct research over a period of time before making a decision. The cookies contain a unique referral identifier and a timestamp, but they do not collect sensitive personal information such as your name, email address, or financial details. Each partner platform has its own privacy and cookie policy, and we recommend that you review these policies before interacting with any third-party website. We take care to partner only with reputable platforms that adhere to recognised data protection standards, but we cannot accept responsibility for the cookie practices of third-party operators.
Cloudflare
Our website uses Cloudflare, a content delivery network and security service, to improve page load times and protect against malicious traffic. Cloudflare may set cookies on your device — including the __cf_bm and cf_clearance cookies — to manage bot detection and security challenges. These cookies are essential to the security and performance of our website and are classified as strictly necessary. Cloudflare's privacy policy is available at www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy.
6. How to Manage Cookies
You have the right to decide whether to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers are initially set to accept cookies by default, but you can modify your browser settings to block all cookies, to accept only certain categories of cookies, or to notify you each time a cookie is sent so that you can decide whether to accept it on a case-by-case basis. Please be aware that if you choose to block or delete cookies, some features of our website may not function as intended, and your overall browsing experience may be affected.
The method for managing cookies varies depending on the web browser you are using. Below we provide instructions for the most commonly used browsers. If you use a browser that is not listed here, we recommend consulting the browser's help documentation or visiting www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies for comprehensive guidance on cookie management across a wide range of browsers and devices.
Google Chrome
To manage cookies in Google Chrome, click the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window and select Settings. In the left-hand navigation panel, click Privacy and security, then select Third-party cookies. From this page, you can choose to allow all cookies, block third-party cookies, or block all cookies. You can also add specific websites to an allow list or a block list, giving you fine-grained control over which sites may set cookies on your device. To delete existing cookies, navigate to Privacy and security > Delete browsing data, select the Cookies and other site data checkbox, choose the desired time range, and click Delete data. For further assistance, visit Google Chrome's cookie support page.
Mozilla Firefox
To manage cookies in Mozilla Firefox, click the three-line menu icon in the upper-right corner and select Settings. In the left-hand panel, click Privacy & Security. Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, you can choose between Standard, Strict, or Custom protection levels. The Custom option allows you to specify precisely which types of cookies and trackers to block, including third-party tracking cookies, cross-site cookies, and all cookies. To delete existing cookies, scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section and click Clear Data. You can also click Manage Data to view and remove cookies on a site-by-site basis. For detailed guidance, visit Mozilla Firefox's cookie support page.
Apple Safari
To manage cookies in Apple Safari on macOS, open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar, then select Settings (or Preferences in older versions). Click the Privacy tab. Here you will find the option to Prevent cross-site tracking, which blocks third-party cookies used for tracking purposes whilst allowing first-party cookies to function normally. You can also select Block all cookies to prevent any cookies from being stored on your device, though this may affect the functionality of many websites. To manage cookies on Safari for iOS (iPhone and iPad), go to Settings > Safari and toggle the relevant privacy options. To delete existing cookies, click Manage Website Data in the Privacy tab (macOS) or go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data (iOS). For further information, visit Apple Safari's cookie support page.
Microsoft Edge
To manage cookies in Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner and select Settings. In the left-hand panel, click Cookies and site permissions, then select Manage and delete cookies and site data. From this page, you can toggle the option to allow sites to save and read cookie data, block third-party cookies, or manage exceptions for specific websites. Edge also offers a Tracking prevention feature, accessible from the Privacy, search, and services section of the settings menu, which allows you to choose between Basic, Balanced, and Strict levels of tracker blocking. To delete existing cookies, navigate to Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data, select Cookies and other site data, choose the time range, and click Clear now. For more detailed instructions, visit Microsoft Edge's cookie support page.
7. Impact of Disabling Cookies
You are entirely free to disable or delete cookies from your browser at any time. However, it is important to understand that doing so may have a material impact on your experience when using The Foundry Online and other websites. The specific consequences of disabling cookies will depend on which categories of cookies you choose to block.
If you disable essential cookies, certain core features of our website may cease to function correctly. For example, the site may not render properly in your browser, security features may be impaired, and your session state may not be maintained as you navigate between pages. We strongly recommend that you do not block essential cookies, as they are fundamental to the operation of our website and do not collect any personal information.
If you disable analytics cookies, our ability to understand how visitors use our website will be reduced. This will not directly affect your browsing experience, but it may limit our capacity to identify and resolve technical issues, to optimise the layout and content of our pages, and to improve our services over time. Disabling analytics cookies means that your visits will not be included in the aggregated data we use to evaluate website performance.
If you disable preference cookies, the website will not be able to remember choices you have previously made, such as your cookie consent status or your display preferences. This may result in the cookie consent banner appearing each time you visit the site, and any personalised settings will revert to their default values. Whilst this is unlikely to significantly impair your experience, it may result in minor inconveniences.
If you disable affiliate and tracking cookies, the referral links on our website will continue to redirect you to the partner platform's website. However, the partner platform will be unable to attribute your visit to The Foundry Online, which means that we will not receive a commission for the referral. Disabling affiliate cookies does not affect the products, services, or bonuses available to you on the partner platform. However, we would like to point out that the revenue generated through affiliate commissions is what enables us to provide free, independent content and expert reviews on The Foundry Online. By allowing affiliate cookies, you help support our work at no additional cost to yourself.
In summary, whilst disabling cookies is your right and we respect your decision to do so, we recommend keeping essential cookies enabled at a minimum to ensure that our website functions as intended. If you have any questions about the impact of managing your cookie preferences, please do not hesitate to contact us.
8. Consent
When you first visit The Foundry Online, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that provides a summary of the types of cookies we use and offers you the option to accept or decline non-essential cookies. Essential cookies, which are strictly necessary for the operation of our website, are placed on your device automatically and do not require your consent, in accordance with applicable data protection legislation including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
For all other categories of cookies — including analytics cookies, preference cookies, and affiliate tracking cookies — we rely on your informed consent as the legal basis for their deployment. By clicking "Accept" or "Accept All Cookies" on the cookie consent banner, you grant us permission to place these non-essential cookies on your device. If you click "Reject" or "Decline Non-Essential Cookies," only strictly necessary cookies will be placed on your device, and analytics, preference, and affiliate tracking cookies will not be deployed.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the relevant cookies from your browser or by adjusting your browser's cookie settings as described in Section 6 of this policy. Withdrawing your consent does not affect the lawfulness of any data processing that took place prior to the withdrawal. If you delete the cookie_consent cookie from your browser, the cookie consent banner will appear again on your next visit, giving you the opportunity to update your preferences.
We are committed to ensuring that our approach to cookie consent is transparent, user-friendly, and fully compliant with applicable privacy legislation. If you have any questions about how we obtain and manage consent, or if you believe that your preferences have not been correctly recorded, please contact us using the details provided in Section 10 of this policy.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in the law, or developments in our website and its functionality. When we make material changes to this policy, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you through a prominent notice on our website or via the cookie consent mechanism. We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies and related technologies.
Any changes to this Cookie Policy will take effect immediately upon publication on this page, unless otherwise stated. Your continued use of The Foundry Online following the publication of an updated Cookie Policy constitutes your acknowledgement of the changes and, where applicable, your consent to the updated terms. If you do not agree with any changes to this policy, you should discontinue your use of our website and delete any cookies that have been placed on your device.
Where changes to this policy involve the introduction of new categories of cookies or the use of cookies for purposes not previously described, we will seek your consent afresh through the cookie consent mechanism before deploying those cookies. We will not retrospectively apply changes to this policy in a manner that reduces your rights or the protections afforded to you without obtaining your explicit consent.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy, the cookies we use, or the way in which we handle your data, we encourage you to get in touch with us. We are committed to responding to all enquiries in a timely and helpful manner. You can reach us through our dedicated contact page:
When contacting us about cookie-related matters, it may be helpful to include details of the browser and device you are using, a description of the issue or question you have, and any relevant cookie names or identifiers. This information will enable us to investigate and respond to your enquiry more efficiently.
We aim to acknowledge all enquiries within two working days and to provide a substantive response within ten working days. If your enquiry relates to a subject access request or another formal request under data protection legislation, we will respond within the timeframes mandated by applicable law.