UK: betting shops beat other outlets on age verification checks

A study has found that 90 per cent of betting shops passed secret shopper age verification checks.

UK.- British betting shops have come out better than outlets such as supermarkets and petrol stations in a study on the use of age verification checks for restricted products. 

Age verification analyst Serve Legal carried out spot checks using mystery shoppers aged 18 and 19. It reported that 90 per cent of betting shops asked its secret shoppers to prove their age. That compares to 83 per cent of convenience stores, 77 per cent of supermarkets and 76 per cent of petrol stations.

The results show a major improvement in the sector since when Serve Legal first carried out its test, only 67 per cent of betting shops asked for identification to verify age.

See also: British gambling premises concentrated in poorer towns

Industry response on age verification

Michael Dugher, chief executive of British trade body the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), praised betting shops for their approach. 

He said: “By any measure, age verification standards have improved since they were first introduced and once again betting shops are leading the retail sector in terms of compliance.

“I want to pay tribute to betting shop staff who, like other retailers, have endured a very challenging year of closures, restrictions and fast-changing Covid-19 guidance. Despite those pressures, they have remained absolutely focussed on ensuring the safety of customers and the protection of young people.”

Dugher said online operators were also taking measures by carrying out age verification checks with customers. However, he urged social media channels to do more to help prevent underage gambling.  

He said: “The work we are doing in betting shops is also mirrored in the actions we are taking online, including new tools to prevent under-18s seeing betting adverts and new age verification checks on digital platforms such as YouTube.

“There’s more to be done and we encourage social media platforms to do more. We also need to ensure that customers continue to stay in the regulated industry – and not gamble with the unsafe, unregulated black market, where there are no checks or protections.”

See also: BGC promises to “maintain the momentum” on safer gambling