Legal Gambling Age In England

 

(Getty Images) The minimum age for playing the National Lottery will be raised from 16 to 18 from October 2021, as part of a “major and wide-ranging review” of gambling laws in the UK. To gamble legally in the UK, you need to be eighteen years old and above. This applies to both land-based and online casinos. Sportsbooks are also obligated to confirm that customers are eighteen years old and above by requesting supporting documents such as identification cards or driver’s licenses. Gambling ages in the United Kingdom are set out in the Gambling Act 2005: Part 4. BUT online gambling is legal at any age.

Meanwhile the minimum age to play the National Lottery will be raised to 18, due to what the government described as “significant change” in the way it is played.

The Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has already launched a call for evidence, which will look into stake and spend limits and new rules around advertising and bonusing, as well as additional protections for younger adults. This call for evidence will run for 16 weeks, until 31 March 2021 and its findings will inform planned changes to the 2005 Act.

“The findings will be used to inform any changes to the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure customer protection is at the heart of the regulations, while giving those that gamble safely the freedom to do so,” DCMS said.

“The government recognises the need to balance the enjoyment people get from gambling with the right regulatory framework and protections.”

In addition, the Gambling Commission’s role and powers will receive scrutiny “in order to ensure it can keep pace with the licensed sector and tackle the black market”.

The Commission has faced criticism from bodies including the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee, which have said it was under-resourced, and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling-Related Harm, which repeatedly called it “not fit for purpose”.

The review will also look into “the action customers can take where they feel operators have breached social responsibility requirements” if, for example, inadequate interventions were taken.

This – combined with the review of the Commission – may suggest DCMS is examining the concept of a gambling ombudsman. Groups including the Social Market Foundation have argued that an ombudsman should be created to deal with consumer issues, allowing the Commission to focus on licensing.

While DCMS did not say loot boxes in video games were part of the review, it noted that the Government launched a call for evidence on the matter in September.

Secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport Oliver Dowden said the gambling industry has changed greatly since the 2005 Act, making a review necessary.

“While millions gamble responsibly, the Gambling Act is an analogue law in a digital age,” Dowden said. “From an era of having a flutter in a high street bookmaker, casino, racecourse or seaside pier, the industry has evolved at breakneck speed.

“This comprehensive review will ensure we are tackling problem gambling in all its forms to protect children and vulnerable people. It will also help those who enjoy placing a bet to do so safely.”

The minimum age to raise the National Lottery will also be raised from 16 to 18 by no later than October 2021. The age limit will therefore not be included in the review, but DCMS will open a consultation on the matter before it comes into effect.

DCMS said raising the minimum age was necessary as the lottery’s games portfolio has undergone “significant change” since its 1994 launch, with more players playing online and spending money on instant win games such as scratchcards.

In the first half of its 2020-21 fiscal year, Camelot’s digital revenue came to £1.73bn – just under half of its £3.85bn in overall sales – as mobile sales shot up 50.7% to £1.13bn. Instant win games were the largest source of revenue, bringing in £882.7m.

“We’re committed to protecting young people from gambling related harm which is why we are raising the minimum age for the National Lottery,” Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage Nigel Huddleston. “Patterns of play have changed since its inception, with a shift towards online games, and this change will help make sure the National Lottery, although already low-risk, is not a gateway to problem gambling.”

Dowden also pointed to past action by the Gambling Commission to show the government has been working to increase the level of player protection in the British gambling industry.

In 2018, the Commission announced that it would reduce the maximum stake permitted on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) from £100 to £2 after pressure from MPs and campaign groups. Last year, it brought in new age and ID verification requirements while in January of 2020, it banned the use of credit cards to gamble.

Legal gambling age in england london

“This builds upon our clear track record of introducing tough measures to protect people from the risk of gambling harm – banning the use of credit cards, launching tighter age verification checks and cutting the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals.”

The Commission has also launched consultations on safer game design and affordability this year, proposing an end to autoplay and quick spin features and the developments of clearer thresholds for affordability assessments.

A consultation on VIP schemes also recently came to an end, with licensees required to carry out enhanced affordability and responsible gambling checks.

The Commission that loyalty schemes may be banned if operators fail to comply with the new controls.

A review of the Gambling Act has long been expected, after the UK’s Conservative Party included plans for this in its manifesto before winning the 2019 General Election.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling-Related Harm, the House of Lords, the Social market Foundation, the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office have all released their own reports with recommendations for change to the country’s gambling laws.

The gambling market in the UK provides a wide range of gambling options to the public. And this includes sports betting, casino games, gaming machines, and bingo. All these options are available in the physical and online world. They are provided by operators who have been licensed by the local authorities and the gambling commission.

You should always check on your preferred operator’s site to find out which product or service has been licensed by the authorities. You should also ensure that you are protected on the regulator’s site if you choose to play.

Current Gambling in the UK

The gambling laws UK have been designed to regulate the entire industry and control illegal gambling to make the sector safe for everyone. Among the areas that UK Gambling laws focus on are the protection of children and adults who are vulnerable. And this includes a minimum legal gambling age and self-exclusion alternatives for adults struggling with gambling addiction

Minimum gambling age in the UK casino

To gamble legally in the UK, you need to be eighteen years old and above. This applies to both land-based and online casinos. Sportsbooks are also obligated to confirm that customers are eighteen years old and above by requesting supporting documents such as identification cards or driver’s licenses. A big exception to the gambling restrictions UK law applies to scratch cards, lotteries, and football pools. For this, the minimum gambling age is sixteen years old.

Why should you avoid gambling if you’re not of age?

Failing to meet the requirements of this law has grave consequences which include being denied your winnings. To avoid creating unnecessary problems, you should ensure that you are old enough to gamble in the UK. This means that you should be at least eighteen years old.

Gamstop self-exclusion

Gamstop plays a critical role in the UK’s online gambling industry. The UK Gambling Commission has made it compulsory for every gambling operator and casino to register with Gamstop so that they can receive their licenses. Since it was introduced in 2018, Gamstop has helped a lot of people stay on top of their gambling activities. Statistics have shown that most people gamble on non Gamstop casinos to have fun and enjoy themselves. Therefore, not all players have gambling problems.

Gamstop is an independent scheme created to enhance responsible gambling among people. Gamstop is available for every player residing in the UK. If you are a member, the scheme will boost online gambling restrictions especially if your preferred casino has been licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. The registration process is easy. You’ll be excluded from all gambling sites within 24 hours. The term for self-exclusion ranges from six months to five years.

Lotteries and the restrictions

The National Lottery in the UK has been regulated by strict rules. Since 1993, it has been running and offering a wide range of games including Thunderball and Loto. Gamblers residing in the UK can bet on the European Euro Millions lottery. And this includes nine countries.

One of the most important things to note is that 28 percent of lottery prizes go to the “Good Causes” fund which has raised more than forty billion pounds to date. Most of these funds go to the community and volunteer organizations. These funds are never spent on services that the government is obligated to offer to its citizens.

12 percent of the prize pool goes to the government while another 15 percent goes towards selling tickets and running the lottery.

How does this affect you?

Winning the lottery is no easy thing. Also factor in that almost half your entire prize is not paid out to you. This is not a good proposition. From a professional gambler’s view, it would be better if you took played at a casino with a small house edge.

Social Gaming

In the UK, you’ll find a few games that don’t enable you to win money or other prizes worth money. All these games are not regulated in any way. However, the popularity of most of these games has been constructed in a social, interactive, and compelling manner especially if they resemble real gambling games.

What you need to know about UK online casinos

While registering with Gamstop is mandatory for you to be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, there are a lot of casinos that are not on Gamstop. When you are signing up for self-exclusion, you’ll discover that most online gambling sites are prohibited. In some cases, casinos not registered with Gamstop are more popular than the registered ones.

Gamstop is a scheme based in the UK. This means that there are other licensing bodies operating in the UK legally but don’t have similar Gamstop conditions. Online gambling sites registered in other areas such as Cyprus, Malta, and other jurisdictions are not registered on Gamstop and they need not be.

Get Around Gamstop

After the self-exclusion term has ended, you won’t have an easy time getting back to the casino world. Gamstop exclusions don’t lift automatically when they end. Instead, players have to contact Gamstop and go through the process of removal. If you have been looking for ways to get around your self-exclusion, you are in the right place.

One of the best and simple ways to play after your self-exclusion is to play with UK casinos not on Gamstop. In short you need to find casinos that are not regulated by the gambling commission in the UK. However, this doesn’t mean that they are unsafe. While there are unsafe sites, most of them operate under the licenses and regulations of other authorities. There are a lot of reputable non-Gamstop casinos in Cyprus, Curacao, and Malta.

Benefits of non-gamstop casinos

If you haven’t registered at Gamstop, there are a lot of benefits linked to playing at casinos licensed outside the UK. The UK Gambling Commission regulates bonus offers and promotions. These regulations restrict what operators can offer. This means that you can find some of the best bonus offers and promotions at gambling sites not covered by Gamstop.

Other areas that these restrictions affect include deposits and withdrawals. By going for casinos that aren’t regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, you’ll get to use different deposit methods whilst enjoying anonymity.