Legal Gambling Age Uk
Are you interested in gambling but not sure about the legal gambling age UK has set? We don’t blame you, as it is not a definitive number. Luckily it is quite easy to get an overview of! Just keep reading our guide to ensure you never partake in any underage gambling.
What is the legal gambling age in the UK?
While laws related to age restrictions are normally set in stone, the UK gambling age isn’t as straightforward. That is simply because there isn’t just one age restriction that covers all of gambling.
Gambling covers everything from casinos (online and offline) to national lotteries and everything in between. To give a clear understanding of the age restrictions, we have listed some different gambling types and their age requirement below. The list is sorted from high to low, with the highest UK gambling age requirement currently being 18.
The minimum age to play the National Lottery is to rise from 16 to 18 next year. The announcement came as the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden launched a major review of gambling laws in a bid to. Carolyn Harris, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm, said: “I welcome the increase in the minimum age of play for the lottery to 18 but this change should happen.
How old do you have to be to gamble?
As you can see from the table above, there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the UK gambling age. “Harmless” gambling forms performed at entertainment centres or non-commercial forms of betting is legal for everyone to enjoy. It is when there is a real prize, that is not simply a part of a fair, the legality changes.
Casino age UK = 18
If you are planning to play at an offline casino (or licensed premise) in the UK, the minimum age requirement will be from 18 years. This also goes for all online casinos that are regulated by the UKGC and therefore legal for UK players to play at.
No matter if you are planning to play on slot machines, roulette and blackjack tables, or bet on sports, you will need to be minimum 18 years of age. This will be thoroughly checked by the casino. Landbased casino houses will, of course, have an ID check in place, and the same goes for online casinos. When signing up to an online casino, you will have to confirm your age before being allowed to play.
As already mentioned above, while the minimum age requirement is 18, some premises might have a higher minimum legal age at for example 25.
Lottery age UK = 16
If you are not 18 yet but want to take part in some gambling activities, there are some choices available. This includes the national lottery and instant win scratchcards. You can also play at football pools. If this does not sound as intriguing as online casino games, you might be interested to know that lottery wins could end up paying out more than £100 million.
Scratchcards and lottery tickets can be bought from your local corner shop or lottery business.
Gambling age restrictions in the UK and the rest of the world
There are some age restrictions that differ very from country to country. This includes the prime example of how you can drink legally in some countries (like Denmark) at 16 while other countries require you to be 21 (like the United States – where you can drive a car at 16). But there are some restrictions that seem to be the same for most countries, and that includes the legal gambling age.
Like in the UK, many countries have a legal gambling age set at 18. This means that most casinos – both online and landbased – will also have a minimum age requirement of 18. There are some landbased casinos that will have a higher age requirement though, either due to local laws or to attract a certain clientele. It is therefore important to research this before planning to visit any casino.
Why are the different legal gambling ages in the UK set in place?
While the legal gambling age might seem a bit confusing and sometimes somewhat random, they are put in place for a clear reason. All gambling restrictions and measures are set in order to ensure responsible gambling and to avoid problem gambling.
And to support the strict rules, there is a lot of ground. For example, research from Finland in 2015 suggested that underage gamblers are more likely to develop a gambling problem. This was following the 2010 decision to increase the legal age limit from 15 to 18.
In the UK, there have been calls to increase the lottery gambling age and added measures to ensure responsible gambling. An example is this petition from the 2015–2017 Conservative government. There is also an upcoming review of the gambling legislation set to take action. On the other hand, there have also been calls to lower the gambling age, for example on horse betting.
Who sets the UK Gambling Age Restrictions?
In the UK, anything gambling-related is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. The UKGC was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 with the purpose to regulate all British commercial gambling. This body regulates gambling businesses in the UK, including the National Lottery and British online casinos. In August 2020, the UKGC launched their fourth National Lottery license competition.
What happens if you get caught gambling under 18 UK?
Legal Gambling Age Uk Calculator
As the UKGC regulates all gambling activities in the UK, they are also the ones who suspend licenses, fine operators etc. if any requirements are not met – or valid complaints are sent in.
Underage gambling is strictly illegal and can at worst result in fatal events. It is therefore always important that you follow the gambling age.
For private persons who don’t follow the measures set, for example by gambling at an online casino before turning 18 (and thus lying about one’s age) may be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment. If the gambling was done at an online casino, your account will of course also be closed down and most probably blacklisted for life.
As long as you stick to the legal gambling age UK, playing at casinos and lotteries can be really fun. Good luck with your gambling endeavour – just remember to stay responsible and true when playing!
- Legal Gambling Age UK – How old do you have to be to gamble? - 2020-09-29
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Legal Gambling Age Uk Online
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read more +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.
Legal Gambling Age Uk
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.