Clause 79 - Return of stakes to children
Gambling Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)
The amendment seeks to allow operators to demand the repayment of prizes that they have paid out to children and young people. In my view that would have the unfortunate effect of rewarding operators who do not show due diligence in
checking the age of their customers. The Government have stated time and again that operators are responsible for preventing children and young people from using their facilities. If they fail to live up to that responsibility, it is unacceptable that they should be able to recoup their losses.
The protection of children is a key objective of the Bill. Any instance of an operator allowing children or young people to gamble could bring into question the fitness of that operator to hold an operating licence. To ensure that operators have proper systems in place, we regard it as essential that operators be restricted from reclaiming prizes from people under 18 where those prizes are won prior to the operator realising that the person was under 18. That may seem harsh to the hon. Gentleman, but we think it is the best means of requiring operators to take proof-of-age issues seriously. I urge him to withdraw his amendment.