In a document entitled “Children, young people and gambling” (that can be downloaded below), the Gambling Commission has today set out its response to advice from Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (“RGSB”), intended to ensure that the right protections are in place to reduce the risk of harm to children and young people.

The Commission has called for all those responsible for safeguarding children, to work with it to address the wide range of issues identified in RGSB’s advice, including:

• access and exposure to gambling by children and young people
• digital and online risks
• preventative education and treatment
• evidence collection and consumer engagement.

Commenting on the response, Commission Tim Miller, Executive Director has said:

“We have a strong commitment to protecting children and young people from the harm gambling can pose – it’s at the heart of how we regulate. We asked our expert advisers, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, to consider this critical theme. The advice helps us to refocus and reinforce what we are doing already, and what we need to do next. For example, this year we will be carrying out targeted compliance and enforcement activity to identify and tackle any weaknesses in the age verification processes. Safeguarding children in a digital age is complex, and what both RGSB and our research has highlighted is that it takes a multi-faceted approach by us, government, educators, gambling firms and parents. It will take firm ongoing commitments from the Commission as gambling regulator, but also from all of those with a part to play.”