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<p>The Government recognises that it is particularly important to take steps to protect
young people at risk of harms associated with online gambling.</p><p>The Gambling
Act review considered the efficacy of protections for children and young adults, including
on age controls for online gambling. Evidence submitted as part of the review, and
Gambling Commission surveys show low rates of illegal underage gambling with online
operators. When this does occur, it is generally through misuse of an adult’s account
or details rather than a failure of the verification process.</p><p>While the current
rules require online operators to verify a customer’s age before they are allowed
to deposit money or gamble, they do not specify how this has to be done. Most operators
use background checks to verify age and identity, rather than relying on the provision
of identity documentation. There is little evidence to suggest widespread use of fake
documentation by underage adults to access online gambling.</p><p>We recently published
a white paper following our Review of the Gambling Act 2005. The paper introduces
a range of proportionate measures to tackle practices and products that can drive
harm, particularly among young people.</p><p>Over recent years, the Government has
worked with the Gambling Commission and others on a range of measures to protect young
people from harms associated with online gambling. This includes tightening the age
verification requirements for both land-based and online operators in 2019, and raising
the minimum age to play the National Lottery to 18 and over in 2021.</p>
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