Call To Block Children Gambling Online
Problem Gambling In Children Using Switch Cards
The Guardian Unlimited have written a worrisome report entitled Call To Block Children Gambling Online
I will put the youth problem gaming and switch card report below but am concerned somewhat by this because internet gambling will be the target of the ANTI Gambling Brigade over this once again.
The ANTI Gambling Brigade should have been screaming for REGULATION of internet gambling like numerous fair gaming advocates like me have been doing since year dot.
The Gambling Industry will no doubt get the blame for something which they have been calling out against but have been mostly ignored by the powers that be. Typical.
The ANTI Gambling Brigade perpetuate gambling problems like this borne out by the fact that licensed online gambling firms under the durisdiction of The Alderney Gaming Control and The Isle Of Man gaming regulations for Proper Licenced Gambling are in full effect and indeed insist on the use of age verification systems for online gambling licencees.
Problem Gambling In Children Usng Switch Cards By David Batty (no not the footballer)
Internet gambling websites should introduce age-verification checks to prevent children from betting online, a children's charity urged today.
The call by the Childrens Charity (NCH) comes after it found that a 16-year-old girl was able to register with 30 gambling websites after lying about her age. Only seven sites requested verification of her age when she claimed to be 21.
The girl used her Solo card, a pared-down version of the Switch card issued by HSBC and Natwest on youth accounts, to register her details on 30 sites.
NCH claims the findings show it is possible for children as young as 11 to register with gambling websites, because some banks issue debit cards to 11-year-olds.
John Carr, the internet adviser for NCH, said there were no excuses for all UK-based sites failing to put effective online age verification in place.
He said: "The technology for these companies to clean up their act already exists. But it is being used by a very small number of the operators we surveyed. We urge everybody to install age verification software as a matter of urgency."
There are several age and ID verification systems available and being used by a minority of the online gambling industry. They include Experian and Verify Me, which search governmental and financial records to find evidence that people are registered at the address they claim to be and are over 18.
These systems are currently being used by all online gambling operators under the jurisdictions of the Isle of Man and Alderney, one of the Channel Islands.
The same age verification requirements are expected to be put in place following the implementation of the government's gambling bill, due to be introduced in parliament in the autumn.
The minister for gambling, Andrew McIntosh, described the findings as "very worrying". "This shows that in the face of rapidly changing technology our gambling laws are unable to keep pace," he said.
The minister pledged to ensure that banks and the gambling industry work together to properly verify whether their customers are adults or not.
Around 675,000 (45%) of 16 and 17-year-olds own a debit card, according to the Association of Payment Clearing Services, the UK trade association for payments. This figure does not include the number of 11 to 15-year-olds with a Solo or Visa Electron card.
