In May 1995, Children's Express reporters revealed how many lottery outlets were selling tickets to children. Read their original story. Two years on, they repeated their research, to see if anything had changed.
| I expected our success rate to be lower because of what happened last time. It seems like they’ve forgotten about it. |
Supermarkets and newsagents still break the law by selling National Lottery tickets to under-16s nearly 18 months after an investigation by a children' s news agency showed how simple it was for young people to purchase them.
During last week's term break, ten Children's Express reporters visited 50 National Lottery ticket sellers in the London area to follow up an identical investigation which took place in May 1995.
The results were totally unchanged. Out of 50 attempts, the children were successful on 31 occasions. Large chains such as Esso, WH Smith and the post offices sold tickets on ten out of 15 occasions, or 67 per cent. Newsagents sold 21 tickets in 35 attempts, or 60 per cent. The youngest successful ticket purchasers were aged 13. Out of 31 tickets purchased, 14 was won, but not collected.
Sixteen-year-old Julia Press, of Southgate, north London, was a member of the original investigation and helped to co-ordinate the follow-up.
I expected our success rate to be lower because of what happened last time there was some hype about our results then," she said. It seems like they've forgotten about it."
In May 1995, David Rigg, Camelot's director of communications, promised to "make a very public example" of anyone who knowingly sold tickets to under-age youngsters. The punishments could include taking retailers' lottery draw machines away and revoking their license to sell tickets.
It remains nearly impossible to prove a retailer knows the age of any ticket purchaser. A press release from Camelot following the first Children's Express story stated "we have had a small number of complaints regarding retailers and under 16 year olds (buying tickets) but none have been substantiated.
"I know kids who claim to win and say they look over 16. They say it is easy for them to claim prize money," said Nicholas Waterfield, 15, of Canning Town, east London. "It's not about how old you are, it's about how old you look. Teenagers who are 16 and don't look it aren't getting tickets."
Thirteen-year-old Aminah Carter, a Children's Express reporter from Kensal Green, north London, was successful in three out of five attempts at purchasing a ticket.
"I didn't think it was easy, but it wasn't hard either," she said. "It's difficult for shopkeepers to tell because of the height of some kids. Only if you're about nine years old are they going to know that you're not sixteen.
Anastasia Thomas, 14, from Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, thought the newsagents she visited had no clear idea of how to deal with young people in their mid-teens. "My group tried eight places and we got five tickets. Some shops were quite strict and said I had to have ID. Others said I had to have ID, but then decided to give it to me anyway. Most just didn't ask at all. All they had to say was that we should have identification and if we don't just refuse.
But what is suitable identification for a fourteen-year-old? Children's Express reporters were asked to provide national insurance cards, and even passports when trying to buy a lottery ticket. These are not obligatory systems of identification, and are not usually carried by adults - let alone teenagers. No wonder lottery ticket retailers remain confused.
"It's like cigarettes and alcohol and gambling," said Julia Press. "I think the age limit should be 18, like other types of gambling. If a 17-year-old broke the law and bought a ticket, it wouldn't seem as serious as a 14-year-old buying one.
Teenagers should have some kind of pass to show they are over sixteen, like young kids have for child railcards," added Nicholas Waterfield.
Thirteen-year-old Kathleen Dawes, of Islington, north London, said it made no difference if she was trying to buy a ticket at a newsagents shop or from a larger chain of stores.
"I got one from a WH Smith and some from newsagents," she said. "I think some of them knew they were selling to someone who was under age and some asked me if I was sixteen."
"If a young person lies to a shopkeeper and tells them he is sixteen, what can be done?" said Daniel Blackwood, 15, of Holloway, North London. "Camelot can't really do anything once a ticket is sold, can they? If a 14-year-old goes in looking 16, it is really hard for a shopkeeper to judge.
The only improvement over the last investigation came from the Safeway chain, where the children were unsuccessful in every attempt they made. After the previous investigation, representatives of the food giant promised to review their training of staff.
"I was surprised that we got tickets at WH Smith this time because they didn't serve me last time and yet Kathleen looks younger than me and she was successful," said Julia Press. "It looks like Safeway took notice about what we did because no one was successful this time around.
"You can't regulate it," Julia added. "Shopkeepers will not hold up their hands if Camelot asks them if they did it on purpose. Maybe there should be a test by Camelot before they give their machines to shops. Why not do it from the start?"
About the team
Investigation organiser: Julia Press, 16. With editors: Senab Adekunle, 14, Daniel Blackwood, 15, Nicholas Waterfield, 15, Anastasia Thomas, 14, and reporters Aminah Carter, 13, Georgina Drinkwater, 13, Kathleen Dawes, 13, Abeyna Jones, 13, Kim Ijoyah, 10, Michelle Ijoyah, 9, and Anton Yavorsky, 9. This article was published in UK Forum on Young People and Gambling Newsletter.
