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Guidance

Guidance to licensing authorities

The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.

Published
1 April 2021

Last updated
1 May 2024 - Changes

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Contents

Summary - Strengthening age verification in premises

Most forms of gambling are illegal for under 18s. However, the rules around access (and how they are enforced) vary across land-based premises. The government’s white paper High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age (opens in new tab), set out a clear expectation that the Gambling Commission will introduce consistency in test purchasing across the gambling sector and a better understanding of the risks of underage play in smaller premises and venues which are not directly supervised.

In July 2023 we consulted on Strengthening Age verification In Premises (opens in new tab). The consultation focused on 3 parts:

  1. Removing the current exemption from carrying out age verification test purchasing for category A and B licensees of the following types: betting, bingo, family entertainment centre and adult gaming centre.
  2. Changing the relevant ordinary code (good practice) elements of our licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) to say that licensees should have procedures that require their staff to check the age of any customer who appears to be under 25, rather than currently under 21.
  3. Seeking views on how licensees make sure they have effective age verification procedures where their premises may not be directly supervised.

Proposals 1 and 2 would be brought about by amendments to the relevant Social Responsibility (SR) codes and ordinary codes in our Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP):

In this document, 'AGC' is an Adult Gaming Centre and 'FEC' is a Family Entertainment Centre.

We proposed to change the following SR code provisions to remove the exemption from the test purchasing requirement:

  • 3.2.3 (8) AGC SR code
  • 3.2.5 (7) Bingo and FEC SR code
  • 3.2.7 Betting SR code (text in the header regarding its application).

We proposed to delete the following ordinary code provisions, to remove references that would become obsolete with the removal of the test purchasing exemption:

  • 3.2.4 (5) AGC ordinary code
  • 3.2.6 (6) Bingo and FEC ordinary code
  • 3.2.8 Betting ordinary code (text in the header regarding its application).

We proposed to change the following ordinary code provisions to reference a 'Think 25' approach rather than 'Think 21':

  • 3.2.2 (4) Casinos ordinary code
  • 3.2.4 (2) AGC ordinary code
  • 3.2.6 (2) Bingo and FEC ordinary code
  • 3.2.8 (2) Betting ordinary code.

Following careful consideration of the responses received during the consultation, we will be proceeding with each of the LCCP changes exactly as proposed.

These new elements of the LCCP will come into effect on 30 August 2024.

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