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27/07/2004
Concern as children under 11 'able to gamble online': report
Children as young as 11 can set up gambling accounts on a huge number of websites, according to new report published today.
A report by leading children's charity NCH, GamCare and CitizenCard, found that only seven out of 37 gambling sites tested stopped a 16-year-old registering her details online. The youngster from London was able to lie successfully about her age and register her details on websites under test conditions using her Solo card, the report said.
Many sites would also allow her to gamble in several ways, including interactive television, mobile telephones and telephone betting, using the same account set up online.
This is despite the existence of age verification systems specially designed to block accounts for under-18s at the point of registration.
Minister for Gambling Andrew McIntosh said the findings were "very worrying" as technology had clearly been unable to keep pace with gambling laws.
"Having already warned the industry that Solo cards should be treated with caution it is disappointing to find so many haven't taken this on board. I will raise this with them again, and I'm confident that they will respond positively this time. The banking sector should take some responsibility too," he said.
The Minister pledged to do everything possible to help the gambling industry properly identify whether their customers are 18 or not.
He added: "We hope to introduce the Gambling Bill in Autumn and this will include powerful new protections for children including a requirement that remote gambling sites operating from the UK will, by law, be compelled to make proper age verification checks."
Now NCH, GamCare and CitizenCard are calling for: online gambling sites to install effective age verification systems; the government to push forward measures to protect children from gambling; and banks and credit card companies to play a greater role in preventing underage gambling.
John Carr, NCH's Internet Advisor, said there were "no excuses" as the technology for these companies "to clean up their act" already exists.
"We urge everybody to install age verification software as a matter of urgency," he said.
(gmcg)
A report by leading children's charity NCH, GamCare and CitizenCard, found that only seven out of 37 gambling sites tested stopped a 16-year-old registering her details online. The youngster from London was able to lie successfully about her age and register her details on websites under test conditions using her Solo card, the report said.
Many sites would also allow her to gamble in several ways, including interactive television, mobile telephones and telephone betting, using the same account set up online.
This is despite the existence of age verification systems specially designed to block accounts for under-18s at the point of registration.
Minister for Gambling Andrew McIntosh said the findings were "very worrying" as technology had clearly been unable to keep pace with gambling laws.
"Having already warned the industry that Solo cards should be treated with caution it is disappointing to find so many haven't taken this on board. I will raise this with them again, and I'm confident that they will respond positively this time. The banking sector should take some responsibility too," he said.
The Minister pledged to do everything possible to help the gambling industry properly identify whether their customers are 18 or not.
He added: "We hope to introduce the Gambling Bill in Autumn and this will include powerful new protections for children including a requirement that remote gambling sites operating from the UK will, by law, be compelled to make proper age verification checks."
Now NCH, GamCare and CitizenCard are calling for: online gambling sites to install effective age verification systems; the government to push forward measures to protect children from gambling; and banks and credit card companies to play a greater role in preventing underage gambling.
John Carr, NCH's Internet Advisor, said there were "no excuses" as the technology for these companies "to clean up their act" already exists.
"We urge everybody to install age verification software as a matter of urgency," he said.
(gmcg)
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