The United Kingdom Gambling Commission will be reviewing the licenses of seven bookmakers who have failed to verify customers’ age during testing. The betting operators in question have allowed a 16-year-old customer to place a bet, which is why they will now face regulatory action.
The Age Verification tests were conducted in June and included a total of 17 betting operators located at the Royal Ascot racecourse. They were carried out by officers from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in cooperation with the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the local department of Trading Standards, the authority that enforces consumer protection policies. The objective was to inspect operators’ compliance with the latest regulations aimed at preventing underage gambling.
The results of the tests announced on Tuesday by the UKGC are quite alarming. Of all 17 bookmakers tested at the racecourse, seven were found to be violating the law by allowing a 16-year-old customer to place £5 bets. The Commission said they would be facing regulatory action and their current licenses to offer gambling and betting services would be reviewed.
