New protection measures to be put in place for lottery players
By Kate Northrop
As part of Allwyn Entertainment's upcoming takeover as the new operator of the UK National Lottery, a spending limit will be put in place for players buying lottery products online.
Lottery players in the UK will be limited to a certain number of tickets they buy online and will be restricted in the amount they spend virtually.
UK Lottery retailers received a contract that they must agree to before December 18, which contains new terms introduced by Allwyn as part of their takeover.
The agreement says that retailers selling National Lottery products must limit the number of scratch-off tickets sold per customer to 10 and restrict the value of one customer's purchase to £50.
Retailers may not offer substitute scratch-off tickets, and Allwyn's legal notices must be included on every page selling products online.
"One of the changes to the retailer agreement will be the introduction of additional player protection measures and support," an Allwyn spokesperson told Better Retailing. "This reflects Allwyn's commitment to make The National Lottery even bigger, better and safer — setting a new benchmark in player protection."
Better Retailing also reported that, despite the online sales terms being included in all new contracts, the right to sell National Lottery tickets online for delivery may be restricted to certain authorized retailers — thought to include only some major supermarkets.
"Although the £50 scratchcard sales limit provision mentioned in the retail agreement only applies to authorized retailer digital channels, we will be providing all retailers with enhanced guidance on levels of play, as well as refreshed training with a greater focus on participant protection," the spokesperson continued.
It sounds like the UK must have a serious online gambling addiction or are they trying to prevent it?
I suspect the restrictions on online sales are for the benefit of brick-and-mortar retailers, since it sounds like there are no limits on what players can buy in person.
"restrict the value of one customer's purchase to £50."
It's obviously easier to limit the amount of online deposits and sales, but relying of stores to do it is another thing. That's about $62.50 U.S. and that means they can only buy two $30 scratchers daily. IF they want a third ticket, they could go to another stores, clerks could look the other way, or the could buy tickets from a Kiosk.
Pretty sure forcing store clerks to monitor their customers' play will have the same benefits as forcing them to card people over 50 when they buy smokes or beer.
For comparison the Kentucky Lottery has a one time maximum online deposit of $849.
You "will be limited to a certain number of tickets they buy online and will be restricted in the amount they spend virtually"......... Restricting how much a person can purchase with the money that one earns. There's a concept we haven't heard of/seen before.... Good for you UK. Keep the socialism controls and "participant protection" activities going in the name of "bigger, better and safer".
I can understand limiting online sales but in person retailers? I think that should be up to the retailer. Sometimes I may buy 10 or 12 scratchers in one shot and when I do that, I always win something. I wouldn't like not having that option.
Where I live, purchases can only be made with cash or debit cards, credit cards, checks, etc. are not allowed. I guess that is for player safety so people won't run themselves into credit card debt playing the lottery.
Just hope U.S. lotteries don't start limiting us.
I am pretty sure that we Americans will continue the freedoms of purchasing as much as we want. I buy a book of $30 scratchers every Christmas. That would put the tea and crumpet kids on the other side of the pond, in a dither.