Cookie Policy
Last updated: 18 June 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Betting for Horse Racing uses cookies and similar technologies on Betting for Horse Racing, how you can control them, and what happens if you decline. This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy, which explains how we handle personal data more generally. Our use of cookies is governed by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file that a website places on your device when you visit it. The file contains information that the site can read back on subsequent requests, such as a session identifier or a preference setting. Similar technologies — for example local storage, session storage, and pixel tags — work in comparable ways. In this policy we use the word “cookies” to cover all of these.
Our approach in plain terms
Betting for Horse Racing is an editorial publication. We do not run bookmaker tracking, we do not run cross-site advertising, and we do not sell your behaviour to third parties. Our cookie usage is limited to what is necessary to deliver the site reliably and, where you choose to allow it, to understand in aggregate how readers find and use our articles.
Categories of cookies we may use
Strictly necessary cookies. These are required for the site to function. They may be used to remember that you have dismissed the cookie notice, to preserve session state if you have submitted a form, to apply security protections such as CSRF tokens, and to route your request through our content delivery network. Strictly necessary cookies do not require your consent under PECR and cannot be disabled through the consent tool, because without them the service would not work.
Preference cookies. These remember choices you have made, such as a reading preference. They are set only if you use the relevant feature and are optional. You can clear them at any time through your browser.
Analytics cookies. Where analytics are enabled, these help us understand, in aggregate, which articles are read, how long readers stay on a page, and which referring sources bring the most relevant traffic. We configure our analytics tool to minimise the collection of identifying information — for example by truncating IP addresses and disabling cross-site identifiers where the tool supports it. Analytics cookies are set only after you have given consent through the cookie notice.
Third-party cookies. We do not embed advertising networks, social media trackers, or behavioural profiling scripts by default. Where an article embeds a third-party component — for example a video or a static map from a third-party provider — that provider may set its own cookies on your device in accordance with its own cookie policy. We list any such components in the consent tool.
How long cookies last
Some cookies are “session cookies” that exist only while your browser tab is open and are deleted when you close it. Others are “persistent cookies” that remain on your device until they reach an expiry date or you delete them. The consent tool exposes the lifetime of each non-essential cookie. We set persistent cookies for the shortest duration that is reasonable for their purpose; analytics cookies typically expire within thirteen months, and preference cookies within twelve months of your last visit.
How you can control cookies
When you first visit the site you will be shown a cookie notice that allows you to accept all, reject all non-essential, or customise by category. You can change your choices at any time by reopening the cookie notice from the link exposed in the site footer, or through the cookie settings published on this page. You can also manage cookies directly in your browser — every major browser allows you to review cookies, block third-party cookies, clear cookies on exit, or set a site-by-site exception. If you use a browser in private or incognito mode, cookies are normally deleted automatically when you close the window.
If you decline non-essential cookies, the site will still work. Strictly necessary cookies will still be set, because they are required for the service. Some non-essential features — for example embedded third-party content — may not load until you enable the corresponding category.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” header or a “Global Privacy Control” signal with each request. Where we detect such a signal, we treat it as a signal of non-consent to non-essential cookies for the current session. Because the web standards in this area are still evolving, we recommend you also use the cookie notice to record your preference, which gives you a durable record on this specific site.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when we change the cookies we use, when the underlying technologies change, or when the law requires it. The “last updated” date at the top of the page shows the most recent change. If a change materially alters the way we use cookies, we will prompt you through the cookie notice before the change takes effect.
Contact
Questions about cookies or about how your data is handled more generally can be directed to the contact address published on the site. We try to respond to substantive queries within a reasonable window. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.