Microsoft's Ad Tech Platform Xandr Utilized for Gambler Tracking
Back in November of last year, Wolfie Christl, an investigator and tech official from Cracked Labs in Vienna, Austria, unveiled that Microsoft 365 featured some exclusive characteristics, making it an excellent tool for surveillance. Recently, he revealed that Microsoft serves as an incredible information source, including gambling data that most gamblers probably weren't aware they were surrendering.
Christl uncovered a goldmine on the Xandr website, an online ad technology platform that Microsoft acquired from AT&T in 2021. This digital repository consists of a wealth of data gathered by providers seeking to supply advertisers with the means to focus on specific online demographics.
It houses a staggering collection of 650,000 global audience segments. Among these are data sets generated by numerous data dealers using various techniques to effectively reach potential bettors in the United States, Europe, Australia, and other nations.
A New Town of Madness in the Gaming Realm
Xandr has become a popular tool among advertisers and marketers. It's a substantial repository and data funnel with remarkable categorization capabilities, aiding businesses in supercharging their marketing efforts.
Christl found that it includes groups of individuals showing considerable interest in online casinos and sports betting. As a bonus, there's also comprehensive data targeting Australian gamblers, diving into the minutest details of their habits.
For example, there's a "heavy TAB gamblers" group, as well as a "gambling at pub/club" group. Furthermore, there are categories for bettors who gamble during the Spring Racing Carnival, an annual horse racing event, and on the National Rugby League.
More than 40 distinct categories exist for Australian bettors and gamblers, excluding categories for other regions. The additional data informs whether an individual has gambled in the past week, which allows the identification of those who haven't for targeted marketing campaigns.
Although it's still not illegal to advertise gambling and betting products in Australia, the country is heading in that direction. The unveiling of how Xandr is used to target the gambling industry will likely substantially expedite the process.
Unfazed by Microsoft
Christl's analysis is based on previous research conducted by investigative reporter Jon Keegan and data analyst Joel Eastwood. In June, they authored a report for The Markup highlighting the extent of Xandr's capabilities.
Among the myriad of choices is "heavy purchasers" of "pregnancy test kits." There's also a "Dunkin Donuts Visitors" category. All categories reportedly include data on the companies that provided the information.
Unfazed by the publicity, Microsoft responded to Guardian Australia with a statement explaining that this information was not supposed to be published on the site and that it was outdated. However, it did not dispel the capabilities of Xandr.
Privacy and responsible gambling proponents strongly disagree that this is no big deal. Despite the categories not directly linking to the gambling industry, creating analytical conclusions from these datasets can give gaming operators a clearer vision of where to concentrate their marketing efforts.
Molding markets is an essential component of marketing. The internet has simply made it more convenient. The discovery of Xandr's capabilities could prompt some individuals to reconsider sharing their email addresses with websites that don't actually need them.
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Source: www.casino.org
