Government Catch Children Gambling
14th January, 2009
An official investigation by the Gambling Commission has found that a third of gambling web-sites allow under 18 year olds to bet. With just over 33 per cent of oline bookies and casinos having ‘deficiencies’ that could, and it seems has, lead to youngsters gambling on the internet.
The UK Gambling Act that came into force in 2007 is the main reason for the findings, as the Act states that any company that holds a license for online gambling in the UK has to carry out statutory check, which were conducted using the debit cards of the under 18s.
More than 160 companies are permitted to operate about 205 websites.
However, according to the Commission although more than a third of the sites were found to come short in individual checks, overall the system was effective. As under 18s had to go through a series of checks and restrictions to be able to place bets on UK websites.
According to Culture Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, “The majority of the tests showed that policies and procedures to prevent children from gambling on remote sites are effectively in place.
While an advisor on gambling to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Emanuel Moran, “it is obvious that the safeguards put in place by the Government, the statements made about responsible gambling in relation to the internet, are totally bogus.”
The main worry is that, while the commission say that the websites have only failed one of a series of checks, and that other safeguards may have caught under 18s. Many believe that if a few can slip through the cracks others will follow. Lending to the notion it could fuel an increase in under-aged gambling addiction.
By Rommon
