📋 Table of Contents
- What Are Cookies?
- Why We Use Cookies
- Categories of Cookies We Use
- Essential / Strictly Necessary Cookies
- Functional Cookies
- Performance and Analytics Cookies
- Marketing and Advertising Cookies
- Third-Party Cookies
- Session Cookies vs. Persistent Cookies
- Cookies and Personal Data
- Legal Basis for Cookie Processing
- Cookie Retention Periods
- How to Manage and Opt Out of Cookies
- Impact of Disabling Cookies
- Changes to This Cookie Policy
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently, remember your preferences, and provide information to the site owner. Cookies cannot execute code or deliver viruses to your device — they are simply data files.
In addition to traditional cookies, we also use related tracking technologies such as web beacons (clear GIFs), local storage (HTML5), and session storage. This policy covers all of these technologies collectively referred to as "cookies".
2. Why We Use Cookies
YourFreeLottos uses cookies for the following core purposes:
- To keep you logged in to your account securely across browser sessions
- To remember your platform preferences (language, contest filters, theme settings)
- To protect our platform from cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks and fraud
- To understand how users navigate the platform so we can improve it
- To measure the effectiveness of platform features and new releases
- To deliver relevant content about contests and prizes within our platform
- To ensure stable performance and load balancing across our server infrastructure
3. Categories of Cookies We Use
We classify our cookies into four categories based on their purpose and the consent requirement under the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR:
Always active. Required for the site to function.
Enhance usability. Active with consent.
Measure usage. Active with consent.
Personalised content. Active with consent.
4. Essential / Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually set in response to actions you take — such as logging in, entering a contest, or adjusting your account settings. You can set your browser to block these cookies, but some parts of the site will not function.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| yfl_session | Maintains your login session securely | Session |
| yfl_csrf_token | Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks | Session |
| yfl_auth_remember | "Remember me" persistent login token (encrypted) | 30 days |
| yfl_cookies_accepted | Records your cookie consent choice | 12 months |
| yfl_lb_sticky | Load balancer routing for platform stability | Session |
5. Functional Cookies
Functional cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. These cookies require your consent and will only be active if you have accepted them.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| yfl_ui_prefs | Saves your interface settings (contest filters, sort order) | 6 months |
| yfl_lineup_draft | Temporarily saves your draft lineup before submission | 24 hours |
| yfl_tour_done | Records whether you have completed the new-user onboarding tour | Persistent |
6. Performance and Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our platform by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This data allows us to improve the platform experience. These cookies are only set with your consent.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique users (anonymised ID) | 2 years |
| _ga_XXXXXX | Google Analytics 4 | Session state for GA4 measurement | 2 years |
| yfl_perf | YourFreeLottos | Internal page load performance monitoring | Session |
| yfl_ab_test | YourFreeLottos | Records which A/B test variant you are in (for UI improvements) | 30 days |
We use IP anonymisation on all Google Analytics data, so your full IP address is never sent to or stored by Google Analytics servers.
7. Marketing and Advertising Cookies
Marketing cookies are used to deliver relevant platform announcements and contest highlights within the YourFreeLottos platform. We do not use third-party advertising networks or sell advertising space. Marketing cookies are only active with your explicit consent.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| yfl_contest_nudge | Controls frequency of in-platform contest reminder banners | 7 days |
| yfl_promo_seen | Records which platform promotions you have already seen | 30 days |
8. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies are placed by third-party services that appear on our pages. These include:
- Google (OAuth login & Analytics): If you use Google Sign-In or if analytics cookies are accepted, Google may set cookies governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
- Facebook (OAuth login): If you use Facebook Sign-In, Facebook may set cookies governed by Meta's Privacy Policy.
- Stripe (payment processing): Stripe sets fraud-prevention cookies only on our payment and subscription pages. These are essential cookies for payment security.
We do not control the cookies set by these third parties once you interact with their services. We encourage you to review their respective privacy and cookie policies.
9. Session Cookies vs. Persistent Cookies
Session cookies are temporary and deleted automatically when you close your browser. They are used to maintain your login state and protect against CSRF attacks during a single browsing session.
Persistent cookies remain on your device until they expire or you delete them manually. We use persistent cookies for "remember me" login functionality, UI preference storage, and analytics. All persistent cookie durations are listed in the tables above.
10. Cookies and Personal Data
Some cookies we set contain or are associated with personal data (for example, your encrypted session token is associated with your account). Where cookies process personal data, this processing is governed by our Privacy Policy and GDPR. We apply the data minimisation principle: cookies only contain the data strictly necessary for their stated purpose.
Cookie data is never sold, rented, or shared with advertising brokers or data marketplaces. Analytics cookies are anonymised and do not identify you personally in reports accessed by our team.
11. Legal Basis for Cookie Processing
Our use of cookies is governed by the Dutch Telecommunicatiewet (Telecom Act) implementing the EU ePrivacy Directive, together with GDPR:
- Essential cookies: Exempt from consent requirement under Article 11.7a Telecommunicatiewet — these are strictly necessary for the service you have requested.
- Functional, analytics, and marketing cookies: Processed on the legal basis of consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You provide consent via the cookie banner on your first visit. You may withdraw consent at any time.
We do not use pre-ticked consent boxes or dark patterns. Consent is freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous as required by GDPR Recital 32.
12. Cookie Retention Periods
We apply the principle of storage limitation to all cookies. No cookie persists longer than is necessary for its stated purpose. A summary of maximum retention periods:
- Session cookies: Deleted when browser session ends (typically on browser close)
- Authentication cookies: 30 days maximum (when "remember me" is selected)
- Consent preference cookie: 12 months (after which we will ask for your consent again)
- Analytics cookies: Maximum 2 years (Google Analytics default, configurable)
- Functional preference cookies: Maximum 6 months
- Marketing cookies: Maximum 30 days
13. How to Manage and Opt Out of Cookies
You have several options to manage your cookie preferences:
Option A — Cookie Preference Centre
Click the "Cookie Settings" button visible in the footer of every page to open our preference centre. You can toggle each category on or off and save your choices at any time.
Option B — Browser Settings
You can control cookies directly through your browser settings. Instructions for major browsers:
- Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies
- Safari (macOS/iOS): Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Opera: Settings → Advanced → Privacy & security → Site Settings → Cookies
Option C — Opt Out of Google Analytics
Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout to prevent your data being used by Google Analytics across all websites.
Option D — Contact Us
Email privacy@yourfreelottos.nl requesting that all non-essential cookies be deleted from your account profile. We will process this within 5 business days.
14. Impact of Disabling Cookies
Disabling essential cookies will prevent core platform functionality: you will be unable to log in, enter contests, or save lineup drafts. We recommend keeping essential cookies enabled for a functional experience.
Disabling functional cookies means your UI preferences and lineup drafts will not be saved between sessions — you can still use all platform features but settings will reset on each visit.
Disabling analytics cookies means we cannot measure how you use the platform, which may slow our ability to identify and fix usability issues. This has no effect on your ability to use the platform.
Disabling marketing cookies means you will not see personalised contest reminders within the platform. This has no effect on your ability to use the platform, enter contests, or win prizes.
15. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We review this Cookie Policy periodically and update it when we add, remove, or change any cookies. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
- Display a notice on the platform for 14 days
- Where changes affect consent-based cookies, re-present the cookie banner to obtain fresh consent
For questions about this Cookie Policy, contact our Privacy team at privacy@yourfreelottos.nl.
Want to update your cookie preferences right now? Use the button below to open the preference centre.