MP SAYS CAMELOT TURNS CHILDREN INTO ADDICTS
“The industry must be forced to acknowledge the potential damage and act accordingly.”
Prime Minister Bor is Johnson is reported to be considering a ban.
Cowan has also written to the Department for Culture Media and Sport , along with members of the allparty parl iamentary group on gambling-related harm, calling for a ban. The letter states: “Allowing 16 to 17-year-olds to play the lottery means that they are able to gamble online.
“Last year, the Government consulted on raising the age of play on the National Lottery to 18.
“Raising the age to 18 was a lso recommended by this all-party parliamentary group and in the recent House of Lords report Gambling,
Time For Action. It noted that the written evidence received was unequivocal in recommending the minimum age for playing all National Lot ter y products should be increased.”
Camelot CEO Nigel Railton has previously said he is “reasonably relaxed” about new age restrictions.
The National Lottery was launched in 1994 with weekly draws intended to raise cash for good causes.
But Camelot’s empire now includes a range of betting products, including some that imitate children’s board games.
A scratchcard based on popular TV show Love Island was launched last year.
A study published in October claimed about 55,000 children aged 11 to 16 are hooked on gambling. The Department for Culture Media and Sport did not respond to requests for comment.
The Sunday Mail campaigned for tougher rules to combat problem gambling and against fixed odds betting terminals, dubbed the “crack cocaine” of the industry, which allowed punters to lose hundreds of pounds within minutes.
The maximum stake was reduced to £2 last year in a move that severely restricted their use.
Camelot said: “The minimum age of 16 years to play the national lottery was set by the Government in 1994. We agree with the Government that it is appropriate to review this – and if it chooses to raise the age to 18, we will support that.”