Allwyn has announced that more National Lottery retailers are correctly asking for ID as proof of age since mystery shopping visits started more than two decades ago.
As part of its new Operation Guardian programme, Allwyn organised over 8,200 mystery shopper visits in 2024 to check retailers were challenging players who appeared under 18. The results show that a record breaking 92.3% of retailers correctly asked for ID on their first visit.
The visits are carried out by people who are actually over 18 so as not to inadvertently cause a retailer to break the law, but who look younger. Retailers who sell to a mystery shopper on the first visit will be given additional training and then revisited. Any retailers who sell on three separate occasions to mystery shoppers may have their terminal removed.
In total, over 16,000 store visits were carried in 2024. In addition to the 8,200+ proof-of-age visits, Allwyn carried out 4,000 ‘excessive play’ visits to ensure stores could provide support to players requesting help if needed.
Allwyn’s director of commercial partnerships and retail sales, Alison Acquaye-Acford, said: “Participant protection is central to Allwyn’s plans for growing The National Lottery responsibly over the next decade and this is clear to see from the successful introductions of new training and initiatives in 2024, including Operation Guardian and a 10-Scratchcard limit.
“We’re delighted that our work in this area is already bearing fruit with these record-breaking figures. This is all down to the diligence of our retail partners, and I’d like to thank each and every one of them for their excellent work and dedication.”
No comments yet