ACS

Camelot today praised retailers for their continued efforts in preventing sales of National Lottery products to under-16s – but has warned them to remain vigilant.

The message from Camelot comes as it announced the latest results for Operation Child, its unique test purchasing scheme designed to promote retailer vigilance against selling National Lottery games to underage players.

The figures show that, out of 9,398 first visits to retailers between January 2007 and January 2008, 8,743 retailers refused to sell a lottery ticket to a test purchaser – a refusal rate of 93%. The high level of vigilance shown by retailers throughout the year meant that no lottery terminals were removed.

Under the Operation Child programme, which was devised following consultation with retail and trade organisations and the National Lottery Commission, around 10,000 retailers are selected to be visited each year using test purchasers who look under 16 but are, in fact, older. Retailers that ask for proof of age ID and refuse a sale on a first visit receive a letter of congratulations. The small minority that do sell on a first visit receive on-the-spot training, and a warning letter which also alerts them to a follow-up visit.

If they sell again, they get a third and final visit. In the extremely rare cases where retailers sell on a third test visit, Camelot can impose the ultimate sanction of removing their lottery terminal. Only 17 third visits were necessary in 2007, with all of the retailers concerned refusing to sell to the test purchaser.

Broken down by trade sector, the figures for Operation Child show that independent retailers led the way with a first visit refusal rate of 94%, closely followed by multiples at 93%. As a sector, kiosks, with a refusal rate of 84%, have the most work to do in preventing sales to under-16s.