Guidance
Guidance to operators for age verification test purchasing (non-remote)
This guidance explains what data we need from you about age verification test purchasing when you hold a non-remote operating licence.
Guidance on recording and submitting age verification test purchasing results data
Licensees required to conduct age verification test purchasing must send us annual returns listing the aggregated results of age verification test purchasing they, or organisations contracted by them, have conducted each quarter.
Returns must be submitted using a templated MS Excel Open XML format spreadsheet, a blank copy of which can be downloaded below. Completed spreadsheets are to be submitted to testpurchaseresults@gamblingcommission.gov.uk within 42 days of the end of each UK financial year (i.e. by 12 May for the year ending 31 March).
Operators who hold multiple operating licences in different gambling sectors (i.e. AGC, betting, bingo, casino and/or FEC) must send us separate results spreadsheets for each operating licence they hold.
We only require licensees to send us basic results data (i.e. the volume of tests, by result type). But we expect them to record other information, such as the addresses of premises, the relevant local authority area, appropriate time of day a test took place (morning, afternoon, evening) and, where failures occurred, the results of retests. This additional information should be held by the licensee and made available for inspection should we, or a local authority, request it.
Licensees in fee categories C or above are responsible for submitting their own test purchase results to us directly (i.e. not via trade bodies or third-party age verification test purchasing suppliers). For licensees in fee categories A or B, we will accept submissions on their behalf by trade bodies, so long as the results are presented in the spreadsheet format below and are clearly identified at licensee level. Trade body submissions must not include any data for licensees in fee categories C or above. We will not accept submissions by third-party age verification test purchasing suppliers for any fee category.
We use age verification test purchase data to assure ourselves that age verification test purchasing is being carried out by licensees and to assess the effectiveness of age verification policies and procedures on a licensee, sector, and industry-wide basis.
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Other age verification related reporting requirements
Last updated: 21 January 2022
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