The charity asked a 16-year old girl to test some gambling sites. Lying about her age and using a Solo debit card, the youngster managed to register her details on 30 of the 37 web sites tested.
This is despite the availability of effective, real-time age verification systems that can block under-18s at the point of registration.
While credit cards are only available to over-18s, NCH is worried because many banks issue debit cards to under-18s. NatWest, for instance, offers Solo cards to 11 year-olds (HSBC imposes a 16 year-old minimum age limit for Solo card holders) which can be used at participating on-line shops. Visa Electron is also popular among under-18s.
In the NCH study, only seven sites, including the sites belonging to the National Lottery and Ladbrokes, actually stopped the London-based girl from registering.
According to John Carr, Internet Advisor with NCH:
"It is shocking that children as young as 11 are able to register with on-line gambling sites. There are no excuses for this. The technology for these companies to clean up their act already exists. But it is being used by a very small number of the operators we surveyed. We urge everybody to install age verification software as a matter of urgency."
Age verification systems
NCH found a small minority of the industry using age verification systems such as Experian and Verify Me. Both work by searching available governmental and financial database records to find evidence that an individual is registered at the address he claims to be at and that he is over 18. Evidence can include a credit rating and inclusion in an electoral role.
Both systems automatically check the customer's personal records at the point of registration and acceptance or refusal is instant. No other data such as credit or debit card details are needed.
Regulation
NCH notes that these systems are currently being used by all operators within the jurisdictions of Alderney and the Isle of Man where age and ID verification is a requirement within the regulations. However, these are the only current jurisdictions that have included such requirements within the regulations. The NCH notes that the UK is expected to establish the same requirements when the new Gambling Bill comes into force.
The Bill updates the current regulatory regime for the UK's gambling industry. Among other things, it stipulates that those under 18 are not to be allowed to gamble. In terms of the draft it is an offence to "invite, cause or permit" a child (under 16s) or young person (16 and 17 year-olds) to gamble. And if a young person does gamble, he or she is committing an offence.
The NCH is calling for these measures in the Gambling Bill to be pushed forward by Government, and for banks and credit card companies to play a greater role in the fight against underage gambling.
Commenting on the NCH research, Andrew McIntosh, the Minister for Gambling, said: "These are very worrying findings. Having already warned the industry that Solo cards should be treated with caution it is disappointing to find so many haven't taken this on board."
"The banking sector should take some responsibility too," he warned, indicating that he expects to pass the Gambling Bill in the autumn.