Camelot Prepared To Raise Lottery Age

Camelot has said it would be prepared to raise the minimum age for players of the National Lottery to 18 if it was asked to do so.

The ability to sell its gambling products to people from the age of 16 has always upset the industry, which has pointed out that the situation is not appropriate considering the push to protect young people from gambling problems. Giving evidence to the pre-legislative scrutiny committee, Camelot chief executive Dianne Thompson told MPs, "It is a matter of record that on a couple of occasions we have said to the department that we in fact would not oppose a change to 18."

The NLC (National Lottery Commission) indicated it would mean a loss of about £20m a year on scratch cards.