Camelot has congratulated National Lottery retailers for the third year running following confirmation that 91% of those visited in 2018 correctly asked for ID as proof of age on the first occasion.
This is the same as last year’s figures, and is up 2% on 2016’s results and 5% on 2015’s.
The number is based on 11,600 mystery shopping visits conducted by the lottery operator last year.
Camelot has also launched a new ‘preventing excessive play’ training programme. Currently being rolled out to Camelot’s 44,000-strong retail estate, it equips retailers with the tools to help minimise problem play in store. It enables retailers to respond and take action in various scenarios, including if a customer asks for help with their play, or if a retailer is worried about a regular customer playing too much. The programme also provides retailers with resources to help their customers, including details of GamCare – a provider of information, advice, support and free counselling for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.
Camelot’s Retail Director Duncan Malyon commented: “We hope that our measures provide retailers with some easy-to-use top tips – and we’ll also be conducting telephone calls and face-to-face visits to talk through what it means in their individual store. We’re delighted with the 91% first visit pass-rate and I’d personally like to thank all of our retailers for this achievement. I hope that we can all work together to do even better in 2019.”
Camelot’s mystery shopping programme has been in place for over a decade. If a retailer fails a mystery shopping visit on three occasions, their National Lottery terminal will be suspended and is likely to be removed.
