What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They let the site remember your actions and preferences over time, and they help site owners understand how their pages are used. Similar technologies — such as web beacons, pixels and local storage — perform comparable functions, and where we say "cookies" in this policy we mean all of them. Cookies can be "first-party" (set by Civic Commons) or "third-party" (set by another company, such as an analytics or advertising provider).
Types of cookies we use
| Type | Purpose | Can you disable it? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Enable core functions such as page navigation, security and remembering your cookie choices. The site cannot work properly without them. | No — these are essential. |
| Performance / analytics | Collect aggregated, largely anonymized data about how visitors use the site (pages viewed, time on page, referring source) so we can improve our content. | Yes. |
| Functional | Remember choices you make, such as your preferred layout, to give you a better experience. | Yes. |
| Affiliate tracking | Record when you click through to an operator so the operator can attribute a resulting sign-up to us and pay a commission. | Yes. |
| Advertising / targeting | Used by advertising partners to measure ad performance and, in some cases, show relevant advertising. | Yes. |
Affiliate tracking cookies explained
Because Civic Commons is funded by affiliate commissions, affiliate tracking cookies are worth explaining plainly. When you click a "Claim Bonus" link to a gambling operator, an affiliate cookie (set by the operator or its affiliate network, not by us) may be stored on your device. If you then register or deposit with that operator within a set window, the cookie tells the operator that the referral came from Civic Commons, and we may earn a commission. This process does not require or transmit your name, payment details or account credentials to us — it uses an anonymous referral identifier. It also has no effect on the price, bonus or terms you receive from the operator; the offer is exactly the same whether or not the cookie is present.
These affiliate cookies are governed by the operator's and affiliate network's own privacy and cookie policies once you leave our site.
Third-party cookies
Some cookies on our site are placed by third parties. These may include:
- Analytics providers that help us measure traffic and usage;
- Affiliate networks and operators that set referral cookies as described above;
- Advertising partners that measure and, where applicable, serve advertising.
We do not control third-party cookies. Please review the relevant third party's own cookie and privacy policy for details of how they use the information they collect.
How to control or opt out of cookies
You have several ways to manage cookies:
- Browser settings. All major browsers let you view, delete and block cookies. Check the "Privacy" or "Settings" section of your browser. Blocking all cookies may affect how some parts of the site work; blocking strictly necessary cookies may prevent the site from functioning.
- Opt out of analytics. You can decline performance cookies through your browser or by using analytics opt-out tools where offered.
- Opt out of targeted advertising. Industry tools such as the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out and the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out let you opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies.
- Global Privacy Control. We honor the GPC browser signal as an opt-out of the sale/sharing of personal information where applicable.
- Avoid affiliate tracking. Because affiliate cookies are set only when you click through to an operator, you can avoid them by not clicking the "Claim Bonus" links, or by clearing your cookies afterward.
Changes and contact
We may update this Cookie Policy as our practices or the law change; the "last updated" date reflects the current version. For any question about cookies, or to make a privacy request, see our Privacy Policy or contact us at editorial@civiccommons.org or via our contact page.
Responsible Gambling
You must be 18+ (21+ at some operators). If gambling stops being fun, help is available 24/7. Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling. Offshore operators are not part of US state self-exclusion programs — use each operator's own deposit-limit, cool-off and self-exclusion tools.