UK: deadline approaches for new age verification rules for gaming machines 

Operators must make checks on players who look like they may be aged under 25.

UK.- The deadline is approaching for the implementation of the new age verification requirements for gaming machines in Great Britain. From August 30, land-based gaming halls and amusement operators must ensure they have checks in place to challenge players who look like they could be aged under 25.

The Gambling Commission’s new rule applies to betting outlets, bingo halls and amusement arcades with both adult gaming centres (AGCs) and Family Entertainment Centres (FECs). It changes the previous requirement to check when players looked under 21. All premises must carry out age verification test purchasing. Processes used may include the use of cameras and remote age verification checks.

BGC welcomes gambling industry record on age verification

Meanwhile, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced that its members have achieved record compliance rates in age verification checks. According to an independent audit by Serve Legal, members scored a 91.4 per cent age verification pass rate in annual checks. Land-based casinos scored particularly well, achieving a pass rate of 98 per cent. 

Wes Himes, the lobby group’s executive director of standards and innovation, said: “The BGC and our members are incredibly proud of these compliance rates, which put us ahead of our peers in every department.

“We are delivering results that should be welcome news to customers and communities across the country. Our work to raise standards continues, and I expect these compliance rates to keep improving across the land-based betting and gaming sector.”

Serve Legal CEO Ed Heaver said: “The Serve Legal team is incredibly proud of the work done by the BGC and its members. Their dedication has resulted in a 30% compliance increase across the industry since we began working together. We thank the BGC for pioneering their mission of customer safety alongside ours.”

The BGC noted that members have introduced new age-gating rules for social media advertising in order to target users aged over 25. It’s also been calling on the government to push social media companies to cooperate with the industry to limit marketing among young people.

Meanwhile, the UK amusement and gaming hall association Bacta has appointed Declan Johnson as its public affairs advisor. He will report to George McGregor, Bacta’s executive director of government relations.

Johnson has an MSc in Policy and Politics from Birkbeck University. He joins Bacta as the body aims to connect with MPs in the UK’s new Labour government to push for the continuation of gambling reforms in the country in the wake of last year’s White Paper on updates to the 2005 Gambling Act.