UKGC Investigating the Use of Cartoon Characters as Lure for Underage Gambling

UK Gambling Commission Finds that 450,000 Children Gamble in England and Wales Weekly

The UK Gambling Commission has moved to outline its full commitment to protect underage gambling. In an article published over the weekend several operators are obstructing the younger generation with its marketing campaigns to attract underage children to their online gambling products.

According to the Gambling Commission operators are using cartoon characters to lure the children to play online. Moon Princess on the Casinoland website is said to offer a minimum stake of 20p, rising to a maximum bet of £100. 888 offers a Jack and the Beanstalk game with a minimum bet of 20p and a maximum of £200, and Paddy Power’s Peter Pan game was also mentioned.

The report also claimed that many children go online using their parents accounts which has increased from November 2016 by six percent.

“The Gambling Commission should act now to extend the current ban on targeting games at children to online products. Betting companies need to acknowledge the harm they are doing by cynically targeting children online and remove these games, many of which can be played for ‘fun’ and without age verification, from their sites.” – Tom Watson

According to the Sun Times many of the games can be played without registration for free.