The UK gambling industry offers diverse forms of gambling to the public including casino games, sports-betting, bingo and gaming machines. All these are available on the high street and online from operators who hold the necessary licences issued by the Gambling Commission and local authorities. You are advised to check on an operator's website which of its products is licensed and by whom, and whether you are satisfied from a review of the regulator's site that you will be adequately protected if you play.
The age limit of buying a lottery ticket will increase from 16 to 18. The National Lottery age limit is set to rise from 16 to 18 from next October, amid a major and “wide-ranging review” of the sector. The review could include placing limits of the sale of online tickets, cap casino stakes and put new restrictions on advertising. Legally you are considered to be a child if you’re under the age of 18. Until you reach this age you can’t buy alcohol or do things like leave education or training (though you can leave secondary school at the age of 16). But for many other things the minimum legal age is 16. While we welcome guests of all ages to enjoy our resort and amenities such as our pool deck and dining outlets, patrons must be 21 or older with valid goverenment-issued ID to enjoy the gaming floor. Additionally, we do offer a selection of video gaming machines available to patrons 18 and up that is seperated from the main casino floor.
For information about the Gambling Commission, the regulators of the British gambling industry, please go to www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk.
Some more financial market-based products (such as 'contracts for difference') are not licensed by the Gambling Commission, and may be licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority (www.fca.org.uk) or even by foreign regulators (in the case of some binary options).
As a general rule, the minimum legal age for gambling in the UK is 18 years old. This applies to adult gaming centres, betting shops, bingo halls, casinos, racetracks and online gambling. The exceptions to this are the National Lottery, lotteries and football pools – you’re allowed to take part in these from the age of 16 as well as some non-commercial gambling, or low stakes and prizes gambling. However, some gaming machines, such as coin pushers, teddy grabbers and some lower stakes fruit machines in family entertainment centres and amusement arcades don’t have a minimum legal age and are open to anyone. Note that a person who is over the age of 16 and under 18 who participates in gambling (not permitted under these exemptions) is also guilty of a criminal offence.
The industry code for socially responsible advertising can be found here. More information about the code, including details about how to make a complaint about an advert, can be found here. Adverts should usually include a link to our website.
Currently in the UK games that do not enable you to win anything in money or money's worth fall outside regulation. However the worldwide popularity of some of these games which are constructed be highly interactive, sociable and compelling (particularly where they bear a resemblance to play for real casino games), may ultimately prompt regulators in the UK and elsewhere to regulate.
Financial spread betting is not regulated by the Gambling Commission in Britain, rather it is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This means that companies offering financial spread betting opportunities to customers have to be licenced by, and abide by the rules set out by, the FCA. You can check with the Financial Services Register to make sure a company holds a licence to operate in the UK. There are some similarities between spread betting and gambling: the outcome of the financial transaction is uncertain and there is a risk of losing your money. These factors can lead to people finding it difficult to control the amount of time and money they spend on spread betting. Anyone experiencing difficulties with spread betting can seek help and support from the National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133 and the National Gambling Treatment Service.
GambleAware does not deal with complaints about gambling. Find out more about how to complain here.
The National Lottery will be increasing its age limit from 16 to 18 years of age, following growing support to increase the minimum age limit. The new age limit will come into force from October 2021.
Since the National Lottery began back on 14th November 1994, players from the age of 16, have been able to pop to the local shop and purchase a ticket in the hope of becoming a millionaire or winning life-changing money. But like with most things, times have progressed and more and more of us are purchasing our tickets online. Online gambling has been at the centre of new legislation, with reforms taking place in order to offer players more protection and ensure operators are acting responsibly.
The Government’s Sports Minister Nigel Huddlestone, spoke of the age limit increase, saying “We’re committed to protecting young people from gambling-related harm, which is why we are raising the minimum age for the National Lottery. 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.”
The Government are already now reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act which is seen as ‘an analogue law in a digital age’. The news that the Lottery age limit is increasing will also come as a welcome change.
With the review well underway, it is expected that much more robust regulations will come into force, along with a greater emphasis on the responsibilities of operators. Chair of the Gambling Health Alliance, Duncan Stephenson, said:
“The public had been at the mercy of a gambling industry which has taken advantage of ‘sluggish and inadequate’ regulation. We have seen the devastating effects of this on lives lost and ruined, with gambling companies shamelessly exploiting the young and vulnerable, making obscene amounts of money at the expense of some of our most deprived communities.”