UK sports minister wants to restrict gambling to adults

The minister believes that scratchcard sales to people under 18 should be banned in the UK.

UK.- Mims Davies, sports minister of the UK, has revealed that the government is considering banning the sales of scratchcards to anyone under 18 years old. A measure could be introduced as part of an attempt to protect “vulnerable people”.

Davies told The House that she wants to change the law so under-18s are not eligible to gamble: this includes national lottery draws, which are available to anyone over 16, and scratchcards.

“We need to be very clear that gambling starts at 18… It’s not to stop people from having fun, but it’s also to protect those most vulnerable people. That’s where the government needs to step in,” she told the magazine. She also highlighted the sale of scratchcards to 16 and 17-year-olds as something that she would like to act on, and added: “I’d be hopeful to do that soon.”

This change proposition comes after the launch of a review of gambling laws that took place last May, where ministers showed their intention to start investigating the subject. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said on Thursday that changes would not come into force until 2023, which is when the current licence to operate the national lottery is up for renewal.