Cookie Policy | VELD.co.za
Last updated: May 2026
Cookie Policy
Effective date: 15 May 2026 Last updated: 15 May 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how VELD.co.za uses cookies and similar technologies, and how you can control them. It should be read together with our Privacy Policy. VELD.co.za is committed to compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").
1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on your device when you visit it. Cookies let a site remember your settings, measure how the site is used and, in some cases, support advertising. Cookies are sometimes joined by similar technologies such as local storage, session storage and pixel tags, all of which work in a comparable way.
We treat all of these technologies under one umbrella in this policy.
2. How we categorise cookies on VELD.co.za
We split cookies into three categories, in line with the standard used by South African and international advertisers:
- Essential — strictly necessary for the site to load, render and remember your cookie choice. Always on.
- Analytics — measure aggregate traffic so we can improve our editorial content. Off by default.
- Marketing — used by bookmaker affiliate networks to attribute outbound clicks. Off by default.
Analytics and Marketing cookies are blocked until you give consent through our cookie banner.
3. The cookie banner — your choices
The first time you visit VELD.co.za, our cookie banner appears at the bottom of the page. You have three choices:
- Accept All — turns on Essential, Analytics and Marketing cookies.
- Reject Non-Essential — leaves only Essential cookies on. No analytics or marketing data is collected.
- Manage Preferences — opens a panel where you can toggle Analytics and Marketing on or off independently. Essential cookies cannot be turned off because the site cannot run without them.
Your choice is stored locally in your browser under the key cookie_consent in localStorage, together with a timestamp. We re-show the banner automatically if your choice is older than 12 months, so that your consent stays fresh.
You can change your mind at any time by clearing browser storage for this site (localStorage and cookies) — the banner will re-appear on your next visit.
4. Cookies we set or allow
| Cookie / key | Provider | Category | Purpose | Storage / expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
cookie_consent | VELD.co.za (first-party) | Essential | Stores your cookie preferences and the timestamp of your choice. | localStorage, 12 months |
| Session / CDN identifier | Vercel (hosting) | Essential | Routes your request to the nearest server and protects against abuse. | Session (cleared on tab close) |
_ga | Google Analytics 4 | Analytics | Distinguishes one user from another, aggregated only. | 2 years |
_ga_<container-id> | Google Analytics 4 | Analytics | Maintains session state for GA4 measurement. | 2 years |
_gid | Google Analytics (legacy) | Analytics | Distinguishes users — kept for historical compatibility, where present. | 24 hours |
| Bookmaker affiliate tracking cookie | Hollywoodbets / Betway / SuperSportBet partner networks | Marketing | Set only after you click an /go/[bookmaker] link and only by the destination bookmaker — VELD does not set it. | Set by the bookmaker (varies) |
We do not use:
- Fingerprinting beyond standard server-log telemetry.
- Re-marketing or display-ad cookies for ourselves.
- Social plug-ins (Facebook Pixel, X / Twitter widgets, LinkedIn Insight Tag, etc.).
If we add a new cookie or change an existing one, we will update this table and reset the consent banner so you can review your choice.
5. How analytics works in practice
If you accept analytics cookies, your browser loads Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which collects:
- A randomised, non-personal identifier (
_ga). - The page URL, page title and referrer.
- Approximate location based on truncated IP address (GA4 truncates IPs by default).
- Browser type, language, device type and screen size.
- Engagement events (page views, scroll depth, outbound clicks on
/go/).
GA4 data is processed by Google LLC. Google may transfer it outside South Africa. POPIA section 72 permits this transfer under standard contractual clauses. We retain GA4 data for 14 months and aggregate-only reporting is shared internally.
6. Marketing cookies and affiliate links
VELD.co.za earns commission when a reader clicks an /go/[bookmaker] link and signs up with a bookmaker (Hollywoodbets, Betway South Africa, SuperSportBet and others). When you click such a link:
- We log a single line on our server (slug, time, user agent, referrer, IP). This is server-side logging and is not a browser cookie.
- You are redirected to the bookmaker, which may set its own affiliate tracking cookie under its own privacy and cookie policies.
If you select Reject Non-Essential or leave Marketing unchecked, our outbound link still works — but the destination bookmaker may or may not be able to attribute your visit to VELD. We never sell your personal information to a bookmaker.
7. Managing cookies in your browser
In addition to our cookie banner, you can manage cookies directly in your browser:
- Google Chrome — Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data.
- Safari (macOS / iOS) — Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data.
- Mozilla Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data.
- Microsoft Edge — Settings → Cookies and site permissions.
You can also use private / incognito browsing, which discards most cookies when you close the window. Blocking all cookies may break parts of VELD.co.za, including remembering your own cookie choice.
8. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Browsers can send a "Do Not Track" (DNT) header or a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal. We treat a GPC signal as an opt-out for Analytics and Marketing cookies, even if you have not used our banner yet. There is no universal industry standard for DNT, so we default to our banner choice in that case.
9. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We review and update this policy whenever we add, change or remove a cookie. The "Last updated" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent change.
10. Contact us
Questions about cookies on VELD.co.za:
- By e-mail: privacy@veld.co.za
For broader POPIA matters, please see our Privacy Policy.
VELD.co.za is an editorial and affiliate publisher. We are not a gambling operator. 18+ only. Gambling involves financial risk. If gambling is no longer fun, call the National Responsible Gambling helpline free on 0800 006 008 or SMS HELP to 076 675 0710.