UK Betting Firms Access Government Database Containing Records of 28 Million Children

UK betting firms have used information from a government database containing records of 28 million children. The breach of database allows betting firms to boost the proportion of young people who gamble online.

The breach of government data has reportedly allowed gambling firms to access the names, ages and addresses of 28 million children and students.

The Department for Education has since disabled the database and referred the breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office. It said the arrangement with betting firms was not approved by officials. Education secretary Gavin Williamson has reportedly ordered his department to “leave no stone unturned” in its investigation.

The Learning Records Service, which contains details of pupils aged 14 and over at both state and private schools, as well as colleges, should only be used for educational purposes.

However, it has been found that GB Group, a major data intelligence company, gained access to the database. It reportedly used the data for age and verification services it provides to clients, which include 32Red and Betfair.

It is reported that the database helped one gambling firm to increase the numbers of young people passing its identity checks by 15%.

GB Group told that it could check dates of birth and addresses against the Learning Records Service – but this did not involve divulging data.

“We can confirm that we use the Learning Records Service dataset via a third party. We take claims of this nature very seriously and, depending on the results of our review, we will take appropriate action,” it said.