Betting sites told to speed up age checks

ONLINE gambling operators will have to verify customers’ ages and identity details faster under new rules to protect children and the vulnerable, the regulator has announced.

Operators have until now been allowed 72 hours to carry out age verification checks, which must be completed before the operator can allow the customer to withdraw winnings or return stakes if the person is found to be underage.

From May 7, operators must verify age before the customer can deposit funds into an account or gamble with either their own money or a free bet or bonus, the Gambling Commission said.

Customers must also be age-verified before they can access free-to-play versions of gambling games on licensees’ websites. While free-to-play games are not technically gambling because there is no prize involved, the commission said there is no legitimate reason why they should be available to children.

The Gambling Commission said: ‘These changes will protect children and the vulnerable from gambling-related harm.’

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright added: ‘Operators must check someone’s age before they gamble, and not after.

‘They rightly add an extra layer of protection for children and young people.’