What British regulators do to prevent underage gambling
With tight regulations in place, all licensed industry participants must comply with the established procedures to prevent minors from gambling-related harm.
Great Britain is home to a flourishing and well-regulated gambling industry whose total gross gaming yield amounted to an impressive £14.2 billion between April 2019 and March 2020.
With tight regulations in place, all licensed industry participants must comply with the established procedures to prevent minors from gambling-related harm.
The minimum lawful age for gambling in the country is 18 years old. However, this applies to sports betting, bingo and casino games, horse and greyhound race wagering, and online gambling. Citizens can purchase scratchcards or buy tickets for the National Lottery if they meet the minimum age requirement of 16. The question is do all Brits comply with these legal requirements? Let’s take a look at some figures to see to what extent the measures are effective.
UK Underage Gambling Participation in Numbers
The British gambling regulator, the UKGC, has consistently demonstrated commitment to protecting minors from gambling harm over the years. In 2020, the watchdog tasked the global market research company Ipsos MORI with a survey that aimed to measure the gambling participation rates among the British youth.
The coronavirus pandemic and the associated school closures partially affected the study because the results did not include youngsters from Wales. The study involved 1,645 Scottish and English secondary-school students within the 11 to 16 age group. As many as 9% of the survey participants admitted they have gambled with their own money within the past seven days prior to the survey.
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Approximately 37% of the English and Scottish surveyed pupils said they had gambled at least once in the past year. Around 1.9% of the students belonged to the category of problem gamblers, while 2.7% were at-risk of developing a problem.
Comparison with the 2019 Participation Rates
Let’s have a look at the results from the previous year to give readers more context. The 2019 Ipsos MORI survey was similar but it involved more participants – 2,943 students aged 11 to 16 from all over the country took part. As much as 11% of the kids said they had gambled with their own money over the past week, with an average spend of £17.
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As for problematic behaviour, 1.7% of the young people who partook in gambling belonged to the category of problem gamblers, while 2.7% were labelled as “at risk” gamblers. At first glance, the new figures indicate a decline in underage gambling participation.
Before anyone jumps to definitive conclusions, however, they should take into account the smaller sample size. The 2020 survey did not include students from Wales. The recent decline in underage gambling is by no means definitive. The latest figures do not represent the whole country as they did in previous years and are not conclusive.
UKGC Preventive Measures against Underage Gambling
Now, let’s see what procedures for preventing underage gambling the authorities have adopted to reduce participation rates among the British youth. One of the most important regulatory changes that occurred recently had to do with the age verification procedures at UK-licensed gambling sites.
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Rather than verifying the age after customers request their first withdrawal, UK operators must now validate all accounts before users have deposited and placed any bets. Each registered player must submit documents to verify their identity and affirm they are lawfully old enough to place bets. Only then they can gain access to the website’s cashier and the demo versions of the casino games.
Another key measure concerns minors’ exposure to gambling-related advertisements. The UK recently witnessed more solid restrictions on gambling advertising. British broadcasters cannot show gambling commercials during televised sports events before the 9 pm watershed. These restrictions are of immense importance, even more so considering the 2020 Ipsos MORI study showed 58% of English and Scottish school students have witnessed gambling ads or sponsorships.
What is more, 7% of them confirmed this caused them to gamble even though they initially had no intentions of doing so. In this vein, it is also worth mentioning the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) strictly prohibits gambling operators from using advertising content and imagery that may appeal to children and adolescents.
The UK regulators have strengthened their focus on preventing minors from being exposed to gambling marketing content. It is no secret that celebrities, influencers, and other public figures often serve as role models for youngsters, especially teenagers. The trouble is their influence is not always positive or healthy for the youth.
This is probably one of the main reasons why the British Committee on Advertising Practices (CAP) proposed to ban celebrities, reality stars, and sports personalities from participating in gambling-related marketing campaigns. CAP has started a public consultation on this subject and the measure has not yet come into effect. Some campaigners have even spoken in favour of a complete ban on gambling marketing but only time can tell what will happen.
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Responsible Behaviour Begins at Home
As tough regulators like the CAP, the UKGC, and the ASA are on gambling operators, the truth is responsible behaviour begins at home. It is up to parents and legal guardians to teach youngsters well and fill them in on the potential harms that come with excessive gambling.
The least they can do is set a good example and not gamble in front of the little ones. Parental controls are another effective approach when it comes to restricting minors’ access to gambling.
Never use your browser’s autosave feature to save the log-in credentials for your online gambling accounts. You can also block the access to gambling content on your child’s personal computer or smart device.
Parents can find free blocking software like Net Nanny or tools like BetBlocker on the internet. BetBlocker, in particular, has the capability of restricting the access to over 16,300 gambling sites. Last but not least, do not underestimate the importance of open dialogue. Parents should openly talk with their children so they can stop problematic behaviour before it even starts.
Business
Beloved local bakery shares ‘depressing’ cost of ingredients in brutally transparent statement
Daisy Jackson
A popular local bakery has justified a small price hike on its bakes by sharing the staggering jump in the price of basic ingredients.
In a refreshingly honest and transparent statement, Long Boi’s Bakehouse in Levenshulme informed customers that there have been price increases of up to 255% on essentials like flour, butter and chocolate.
They pleaded for understanding from their customers and said that running a business is ‘hella crazy’ right now.
The bakery, which was recently named one of the best in the UK by the Good Food Guide, has been inundated with similar comments from other bakeries which make you wonder how any independent is surviving at the moment.
Long Boi’s chose to address the small rise in their prices directly to their customers, with a ‘quite frankly depressing AF read’.
They shared real examples of price increases, including a 122% price jump on butter (from £39 to £86.95); a 232% increase on the price of dark chocolate (from £56.24 to £186.67); and a mind-blowing hike of 255% on cheddar cheese (£17.08 to £60.48).
Even the price of flour – obviously, an essential ingredient for any bakery – has gone up from £10.20 to £25.60, a 151% increase.
Those prices all show how rapidly costs have risen in the five years since the Covid pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil.
Long Boi’s Bakehouse said they ‘can’t believe chocolate was ever that cheap’ in hindsight, and stressed that there are also financial issues around energy prices, and ensuring that their nine staff members are paid above Living Wage.
Long Boi’s Bakehouse in Levenshulme. Credit: The Manc Group
Long Boi’s Bakehouse said: “A few of the eagle eyed amongst you might’ve noticed that we upped all of our prices in the bakery as of Tuesday, and just wanted to do a little post to a) publicly acknowledge that (don’t want you all to think we’re being sneaky) & b) explain why.
“Tbh I don’t think it’ll be news to any of you that the cost of everything has gone WILD, but I thought I’d write up some actual examples of the changes in ingredient prices since we opened – swipe for quite frankly a depressing AF read.
“I actually can’t believe chocolate was ever that cheap, what a time to be alive!!! BASICALLY, combine this with soaring energy prices, wanting to use only the best stuff in our bakes, and making sure NINE 💖 lovely staff are paid above Living Wage as standard (maybe the most important bit!!) – means that raising our prices slightly was the only way to keep on top of this balancing act.
“Really hope you can all understand! Running a business is hella crazy right now, big love to all our fellow independents going THROUGH it.”
One customer replied: “Happy to pay the extra but shocked for you at the increases your side – very useful post to see how things are changing and how this affects small businesses.”
Another wrote: “Thanks for putting this together for customers to see! It’s a bit mad init!!!”
There are similar stories from struggling independents right across the country who have lent their voices to Long Boi’s statement.
Albie’s, a popular coffee shop over in Sheffield, said: “We actually thought we were going mad when I said butter used to be under £40 – I had to check old price lists to make sure I in fact wasn’t going bonkers!!
“Hard to imagine how we’ve even come through these last 5 years. Lots of flat whites. Love the transparency. The info in black and white really hits home even for those of us that are paying it too!”
And Big Bear Bakery up in Glasgow wrote: “Never seen trading conditions like this been baking for 18 years and in hospitality for 30. The latest NI contributions are the final nail!”
Coosh in Nottignham commented: “The increase in chocolate prices was eye watering.”
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Did you have any idea just how expensive ingredients have become? If only the bigger brands would be as transparent as Long Boi’s Bakehouse.
One of Manchester’s best-loved independent cafes is coming to Bolton
Danny Jones
A much-loved independent Manchester cafe is heading out of the city centre for the first time as they plan to open a brand new premises over in Bolton.
Bolton as a town and wider borough has no shortage of cosy little caffs, but the addition of this latest place for a brew, butty and a bake is sure to be an instant hit just as it was in Ancoats.
To call Cafe Cotton a cult favourite would be grossly understating things at this point: the Blossom St spot tucked into Hallé St Peter’s is not only a beautiful space inside but looks out onto Manchester’s trendy and ever-bustling Cutting Room Square, making it a great place to sit with a coffee.
With that in mind, as they prepare to open their third location further out towards Lancashire, Boltonians have every reason to be very excited.
Cafe Cotton is coming to a town in Bolton. (Credit: The Manc Group)
The indie success story began way back in 2013, if you can believe that, serving sandwiches, sweet treats and more to the Manc masses.
Oh yeah, they also do bloody brilliant coffee that’s considered some of the best in the city.
Opening another venue on the ground floor of Neptune Mill in neighbouring Piccadilly East just this past January, the expansion of the brand has been a relatively steady one despite more than a decade of loyal patrons and new customers becoming each year.
However, good things come to those who wait, as we’re sure the Bolton natives will vouch for when the next Cafe Cotton opens up in Farnworth Green.
The opening date might still be up in the air, but here’s a little glimpse at the kind of goodness they can expect to enjoy:
The new addition is part of the overall Farnworth regeneration project, which is being headed up by investors Capital and Centric, who are famously responsible for numerous new developments in and around Manchester in recent years. Over £20 million has been set aside for the wider plans.
Cotton Cafe’s founder, Chris Griffith, said of the soon-to-open site: “We’ve been on an amazing journey growing Cotton, and we’re incredibly grateful for the loyal following we’ve cultivated. Now, Farnworth Green feels like the perfect next step.
“This isn’t just about opening another café; it’s about investing in a community. The bakery is a big move for us too, allowing us to craft everything from scratch and supply all our locations with freshly made goods.
“We’re also buzzing to team up with Bolton Council to offer apprenticeships, helping young people take their first step into the industry.” The authority itself is actually looking for a project lead as we speak.
Is this the start of a big period of change for Bolton?
The Manc -
15th January 2021 
