But it said the findings are consistent with global efforts to sweep websites and apps of all industries, with 97% of those sampled in a recent coordinated exercise showing some elements of deceptive designs. 

“Dark patterns involve techniques that drive people down the least privacy-friendly route, leading users to give up more information than they may intend or thwarting attempts to delete data. Our sweep of the Bailiwick's gambling sector raised such concerns,” Commissioner Brent Homan said. 

“We are reaching out to organisations in the gambling industry and look forward to hearing from them, with the steps they are taking to address our concerns.” 

The Alderney gambling body supports the work to “encourage compliance and foster consumer trust,” Executive Director Andrew Gellatly commented. 

Pictured: The Alderney Gambling Control Commission has welcomed the findings.

The work is part of an international effort to highlight privacy failings. 

The Global Privacy Enforcement Network has called on data protection authorities and consumer protection groups to scour industries for possible shortcomings. 

Confusing language, steering users away from privacy controls, nagging through pop-ups, providing scant information on data controls and tricking users into providing extra information were in the crosshairs of this exercise. 

The aims of the sweep include broadening public and corporate awareness of privacy rights and responsibilities, encouraging legal compliance and creating greater consumer trust by demonstrating a coordinated presence. 

“The Bailiwick’s Law requires that information is provided to individuals in a manner that they can understand. Lengthy documents and complex wording hinder comprehension,” the ODPA said in relation to the 19 gambling sites. 

Difficulties deleting accounts also provoked concerns. 

“This meant users had to escalate a request to exercise their right to erasure and/or to provide more information than had been required to set an account up,” it added.