Why does a casino app want access to my contacts? In most cases it doesn't need them. Playing, depositing and withdrawing work without your address book, and none of the five UK partner apps we cover lists contacts on its App Store privacy label. Often the worry comes from “Contact Info” on a label, which means your own details, not your friends'.
A real-money casino app doesn't need your address book to let you play, pay or withdraw.
'Contact Info' on an App Store label means your own name, email or phone number, not your saved contacts.
None of the five partner apps' iOS labels listed a Contacts category in October 2026.
Your address book holds people who never agreed to hear from a gambling company, so declining protects them too.
You can deny or remove contacts access at any time in your phone's settings.
Needed to play?
No
'Contact Info' on a label
Your own details
Partner labels listing Contacts
None (October 2026)
Can you undo it?
Yes, in phone settings
Data complaints
Information Commissioner's Office
Why does a casino app want access to my contacts?
Most of the time, it doesn't. A licensed casino app needs your own details to open an account and check your identity, but nothing about spinning a slot, joining a blackjack table or withdrawing winnings depends on the names and numbers saved in your phone.
When apps in general ask for contacts, it's usually for social features, such as inviting friends or finding people you know who also use the service. Whether a particular casino app has a feature like that is something to check in the app; it isn't a reason you have to accept. If you decline, the core product should carry on working.
Before worrying, check what you've actually seen. Many people meet the words “Contact Info” on an App Store privacy label and assume the app reads their address book. That's a different thing entirely, explained next. For other permission questions, browse our casino app questions hub.
Contact Info vs Contacts on a casino app privacy label
Apple's privacy labels use two similar-sounding categories. Mixing them up is the most common reason readers think a gambling app is after their friends' numbers.
Two label categories that sound alike
Label category
Whose data
Why a casino app might collect it
Contact Info
Yours: name, email, phone number, address
Opening your account, identity checks, support, marketing you opt into
Contacts
Other people's: your address book
Social or invite features, if the app has them
A UK casino has to collect your contact details. Licensed operators must verify your name, address and date of birth before you can deposit or gamble, so “Contact Info, linked to you” on a label is expected. Our explainer on what a casino app privacy label means covers the other categories.
What UK casino app labels say about contacts
Here's how the iOS labels of our five partner apps read on the UK App Store in October 2026. Four list your contact info as linked to you; none lists a Contacts category.
Contact data on five UK casino apps' iOS privacy labels
Why sharing your address book with a gambling app matters
Your contacts list isn't only your data. It holds family, colleagues and friends who never agreed to be known to a gambling company. Some may be under 18. Some may have self-excluded from gambling and would not want any link to it.
That's one reason gambling marketing is tightly controlled in Great Britain. Advertising rules say gambling ads must not have strong appeal to under-18s, and Google Play's real-money gambling policy (opens in a new tab) says gambling ads must not be shown to or target users known to be under 18. Keeping your address book to yourself is a simple way to respect the same principle. Our page on young people and gambling apps has more on protecting younger family members.
If you share a phone or tablet with family, the bigger risk is someone else opening your casino app. Our guide to sharing a phone and casino apps covers passcodes, Face ID and hiding apps.
How to stop a casino app seeing your contacts on iPhone
If you've already said yes, or you just want to check, these steps work for any app. Recent iOS versions also let you share only selected contacts, which is worth knowing if a feature you genuinely want needs one or two. More iPhone settings are covered in our iPhone casino apps guide.
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap the casino app.
Look for Contacts. If it isn't there, the app has never asked.
Switch access off, or limit it to selected contacts if your iOS version offers that.
While you're there, review location, photos and notifications for the same app.
How to remove contacts access from an Android casino app
Settings menus vary by manufacturer, so names may differ slightly on your handset. Our Android phones guide explains where the main makers put things.
Open Settings and tap Apps.
Choose the casino app from the list.
Tap Permissions.
Open Contacts and choose Don't allow.
Check the other permissions on the same screen and remove any the app doesn't need.
Our broader guide to casino app permissions explains which permissions a gambling app plausibly uses, from location for geo-restriction to the camera for document uploads, and our app permissions glossary entry gives the short definition.
How casino apps use your own contact details
Your email address and phone number are a different matter. The operator needs them for your account, security messages and support. What it can't do is use them for marketing you haven't chosen.
Since 1 May 2025, licensed casino operators must let you choose marketing by product (betting, casino, bingo) and by channel (phone, email, SMS), with every option off by default. If texts or emails arrive that you didn't ask for, change your preferences in your account and see how to stop casino marketing texts. The UK marketing consent rules page has the detail.
When a contacts request is a warning sign
Licensed operators are answerable for how they handle data. Apple's App Review Guidelines (opens in a new tab) say gambling apps should be submitted by the legal entity that provides the service, so there's a named company behind every real-money app on the UK store. Treat a contacts request with suspicion when it comes with any of these.
The app won't let you continue at all unless you share contacts.
It was installed from a link in a message or a website rather than an official app store.
You can't find the operator's licence on the Gambling Commission's public register.
Someone claiming to be support asks you to share contacts or install another app.
Partner casino apps you can use without sharing contacts
You can sign up and play at each partner app below with contacts access switched off. PlayOJO's iOS label doesn't list contact info at all; Coral and Ladbrokes list your own contact info as linked to you, as you'd expect for account and identity checks. Every offer is for adults 18+ and terms apply.
Coral: deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slots as a new player to get 100 free spins on selected games, 10p each, so £10 in spins. You have 48 hours to accept them and 7 days to use them, with no wagering on winnings. Runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't count.
Ladbrokes: new customers who deposit and spend £10+ on slots get 50 free spins each day for 10 days (500 maximum) at 10p on selected games. Each day's spins must be claimed before 23:59 and are valid for 7 days, with no wagering. Prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits are excluded.
PlayOJO: a first deposit of £10 or more brings new UK customers (not Northern Ireland) 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each. No wagering applies, so winnings are paid as cash. The offer can't be combined with others and is only available through the designated offer link.
None of the apps below needs your address book to sign up or play. Leave contacts access off. 18+, terms apply.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO app reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Does a casino app need my contacts to work?
No. Signing up, verifying your identity, depositing, playing and withdrawing don't depend on your address book. If an app asks, it's usually for an optional social or invite feature, and you can decline without losing the core product. If an app refuses to work at all without contacts, treat that as a warning sign. Our guide to casino app permissions lists what a gambling app genuinely needs.
What does 'Contact Info' mean on a casino app's privacy label?
It means your own contact details, such as your name, email address, phone number or postal address. A UK casino must collect these to open your account and verify your identity, so seeing Contact Info linked to you is normal. It's separate from the Contacts category, which covers your address book. Our page on what a privacy label means explains every category.
Do Coral, Ladbrokes or PlayOJO read my contacts?
None of their iOS privacy labels listed a Contacts category on the UK App Store in October 2026. Coral and Ladbrokes list your own contact info as linked to you; PlayOJO's label doesn't list contact info. Labels are developer declarations and can change, and your phone's permission prompt still decides access. See our Coral iPhone app and PlayOJO iPhone app pages for each listing.
Is it safe to let a gambling app access my contacts?
It's best avoided. Your address book holds other people's details, and they haven't agreed to share them with a gambling company. Some could be under 18 or have chosen to stay away from gambling. Unless there's a specific feature you want, there's no benefit to you in sharing. You can remove access in Settings at any time. For more on protecting others, see sharing a phone and casino apps.
How do I turn off contacts access for a casino app?
Use your phone's settings. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap the casino app, then Contacts, and switch it off or limit it to selected contacts. On Android, go to Settings, Apps, the casino app, Permissions, Contacts, and choose Don't allow. The change applies straight away. Deleting the app also removes its permissions, as covered in how to delete a casino app.
Will a casino text my friends if I share my contacts?
A licensed operator can't simply market to people who haven't opted in. Since 1 May 2025, UK casino operators must get each customer's choice of product and channel for marketing, starting from opted out, and your friends aren't customers. Even so, sharing contacts gives a company data it doesn't need, so declining is the cleaner option. See UK marketing consent rules for how consent works.
Why does a casino app ask for my phone number?
Your phone number is part of the details an operator uses to identify you, secure your account and contact you about it. It may also be used for two-factor codes. That's different from reading your address book. Marketing by SMS needs your separate opt-in under UK rules. Our guide to two-factor authentication for casino accounts explains why keeping your number current helps.
Who do I contact if a casino app misused my contacts?
Raise it with the operator first through its complaints or data protection contact, and keep a record of what you sent. If you're not satisfied, the Information Commissioner's Office deals with UK data protection complaints. For gambling-specific problems, the operator's process and then an ADR provider apply instead. Our casino app complaints guide explains which route suits which issue.
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