Business

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.

The Manc The Manc - 15th January 2021

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

Nearly 60% of Brits are too ‘uncomfortable’ to use the toilet at work, new survey finds

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Bathroom sign

The UK is currently in the middle of a toilet aversion epidemic, it would seem… or at least if the results of a new survey are anything to go by.

For some people, nipping to the loo at the work seems like a simple task as any, perhaps even a welcome break from the busyness or the monotony of their day-to-day duties, but for others it’s a much less pleasant experience – for a whole multitude of reasons, we might add.

Whether it be below-par facilites, a cleanliness choice, personal health reasons, or even something as simple as avoiding bathroom small talk with colleagues, a new survey by Victorian Plumbing has discovered that there is a widespread reluctance among UK employees to use workplace toilets – with more than half saying they find the experience ‘uncomfortable’.

The company’s new findings – taken from a survey of 1,000 Brits – uncovered that, overall, 57% feel uncomfortable using their workplace toilet. 

Nearly 60% of Brits are too ‘uncomfortable’ to use the toilet at work / Credit: Point3D (via Unsplash)

As a result, two in five employees say they’ll only use their work bathroom when they are absolutely desperate to go, and more than one in 10 (13%) of employees admit that they avoid it at all costs, preferring to hold it in instead.

There was also some gender disparities in the results, as the study found that 26% of women admit they never use the workplace toilet for bowel movements, compared to just 9% of men, as for many women, it apparently comes down to the fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed (57%), encountering colleagues (55%), and being overheard (54%).

More than 4% of women said they’re more likely to use the toilet at work while on their period, however, and 18% cited that they have to due to medical conditions like endometriosis. 

But do these actions have consequences? Of course they do.

Around one in 10 people will avoid going altogether / Credit: Victorian Plumbing

With the average employee spending more than 36 hours per week at work, according to recent statistics, avoiding the workplace toilet could likely cause some real damage, so it’s no surprise that 41% of Brits say holding it in during the work day causes them physical discomfort or pain.

A further 39% confessed that the habit leads to stress and anxiety, and three in 10 have found that it reduces their focus and productivity. 

The results from the survey are what prompted Victorian Plumbing to create the ‘Superior Stalls Policy’, which aims to inspire employers to reconsider their workplace bathroom setups so employees are more comfortable.

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“Brits feel far less comfortable using workplace toilets than their own at home, and this doesn’t sit right with us,” commented Alex Woods, who is a bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing.

“Yes, there’s no place like your own toilet, but with the average Brit spending over 36 hours a week at work, everyone deserves to feel at ease – even in the loo.”

Featured Image – Possessed Photography (via Unsplash)

Business

Poundland facing ‘significant store closures’ after being sold for just £1

Danny Jones Danny Jones Poundland sold to American firm for £1

Long-standing British bargain brand Poundland could be set to close a number of locations across the UK after being sold for just £1.

The franchise famed for selling things for just a quid has been a mainstay on the high streets for what feels like it’s been around for as long as most of us can remember, but has been struggling to compete in the discount market.

Opened in 1990, Poundland was eventually bought by Polish variety store chain Pepco Group back in 2016, but has now been auctioned off after struggling sales over the past few years.

As per a press release from the company, Pepco decided to sell the business to American investment firm Gordon Brothers for what reports cited as a “nominal fee” – a figure now revealed to be £1.

poundland greater manchester locations
manchester arndale poundland
Credit: The Manc Group

Poundland’s former boss, Barry Williams, left the brand in 2023 but was reinstated in at the start of this year to help the business and the Group’s European counterparts (Pepco and Dealz).

Sharing an official update with The Manc, the returning MD and CEO said, “Poundland is a UK and Ireland retailer of real significance, serving 20 million customers each year with a much-loved brand.

“Although recent trading has been challenging, we have built a turnaround plan with a simplified and more focused Poundland at its heart, as we aim to deliver the amazing value our customers expect.

“In due course, we’ll share more details of the proposed restructuring and turnaround. I’d like to thank Pepco for its stewardship of the business. We welcome Gordon Brothers and look forward to working with them as we implement our turnaround plan.”

As for Gordon Bros themselves, the American group with outposts all over the globe, says it is “delighted” to be providing the bargain brand with “the financing to support the substantial turnaround of this iconic retailer.”

Even with their own hardships, Poundland stores have still been providing a much-needed cut-price place to shop for those looking to save wherever they can amid the cost of living crisis, not to mention taking over previous Wilko stores and helping bail out others in need.

Poundland offers jobs to 200 Wilko staff who were made redundant
Before Poundland were sold, they also helped prop-up those hit by the Wilkos falling into administration.

According to Retail Gazette, an approximate £80 million cash injection has been pledged to help support their 800 stores and roughly 16,000 staff across the UK and Ireland.

Nevertheless, BBC sources understand that the even with the new backing, the proposed restructuring of the company which will be put before the High Court here in England could still “involve a significant number of store closures.”

Meanwhile, an official statement from Pepco’s Stephan Borchert reads: “The agreed sale of Poundland marks an important milestone in our strategic plan to move away from FMCG and focus predominantly on Pepco, our higher margin clothing and general merchandise business…

“Poundland remains a key player in UK discount retail, with millions of customers annually and a well-loved brand and proposition. We want to sincerely thank Poundland for their ongoing commitment and contribution to the Group and wish Barry Williams and his team all the best for the future.”

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Featured Images — Pepco (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group

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