The UK Gambling Commission has issued a warning to operators in the country to improve their underage gambling controls after a round of test purchasing by the regulatory body and local authorities revealed a number of faults.
Of the 40 tests that were carried out in adult gaming centres and betting shops across the UK, 20 test purchasers under the age of 18 were allowed to play on a gaming machine and exit the premises without being asked for proof of age.
Similar weaknesses were also identified during tests conducted at licensed family entertainment centres and bingo premises that had been converted from arcades.
Those licensees that did not challenge a test purchaser before allowing them to play have been warned by local authorities that failure to improve could lead to formal regulatory action being taken, with many licensees now required to submit action plans to their local authority detailing how these weaknesses will be remedied.
In order to tackle the problem, some licensees have already introduced new measures such as re-organising CCTV to provide staff with a better view of customers and the premises, the introduction of physical barriers to age-restricted areas and the employment of third parties to conduct quarterly test purchases at the premises.
However, local authorities have warned operators that if they fail to voluntarily deliver improvement, or if the premises fail another text purchase, then they may be subject to a review of their premises licence that could lead to the suspension or revocation of the licence.
The tests also revealed that some problems encountered during the 2013 are still apparent in a number of venues in the UK.
Some staff appeared to be unaware of the presence of underage gamblers as they were either busy with other duties or not paying attention, while on other occasions, staff appeared to be unwilling to challenge the tester.
The results from the latest test will now be taken into account during the Gambling Commission’s consultation on the strengthening of its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, which launched on August 7 and will close on October 31.
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